Sdorica -Eclipse-
by Amatsu180
Summary: "Princess... Please. I beg you. Speak your mind..." she didn't answer. She looked unto the sunset as teardrops fell from her face. Her heart was burning, but it was for him. A story of a man finding himself in a world full of mystery. When everything was given to you without explanation, what would you do? Follow Roxas as he discovers who he really is in the land of Vendacti
1. Chapter 1: How Much Longer...?

"How long...?" I said to myself. The cool grass under me whistled their symphonies as the wind howled into the open sky. The sun bathing everything in it's warmth. Here I am, lying under the shade of an oak tree. The Glimmer Wolves' cubs playfully tackling each other in the meadow in the distance. Monsters lurking on the horizon, on the edge of the place I call home. "How long...?" I say once more. I let my body fall, a thud softened by the grass. A bit painful, but tolerable. The color of the leaves of the lone oak tree on a hill under which I lie were beginning to turn to a bright orange. Autumn was near. "Please, let this season not be so harsh..." I prayed silently, sighing hopelessly as words do not touch reach the sun. It's blessings too harsh for the unworthy. A snarl crept over my face as I unwrapped the strands of cloth over my right arm. A dark, beaming mark on my palm, eternally throbbing. The pulses sometimes too great for one to bear. The curse by blood. I loathe this curse so much. Yet, here I am. Peacefully sitting under a tree. Forced to exist with an eternal nightmare. "Grandfather... How could you?" once again, muttering idle words without whom to hear. I laugh, shaking my head realizing the futility to resist. Life is cruel, and you have to accept it. You have no other option except oblivion if you do. Wrapping my arm once more, the darkness seeping through, I head back home. Stepping unto the path, I head North. A few steps forward, I can just barely manage to see the entirety of the Kingdom of Sun in all of it's glory. Barely. The distance between me and the palace is too great. Even if I wandered Poleva Desert for centuries, that wouldn't compare. It is, for me, considered impossible. Dreams of royalty are just fleeting afterthoughts. When the palace disappeared behind the mountains, I proceeded to stare at my own two feet. There was nothing worth noting in the empty fields of grass. At least, not anymore. I've walked this pathway all my life, even the subtle changes began to bore me. Tall or cut grass, stone tablets beside the path, wolf den in the distance, all of these I knew. These small details were carved into my very subconscious. "How long...?" I muttered unto the sky. The wind howled again, carrying my empty words for the sun to scorch.

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Opening the door to the house, I see my father on the table. Groaning in pain, a sickle in hand. "Father? Did you not finish the field work?" he shook his head. Raising an eyebrow, I asked again, "Did you actually finish it, though?" I turn to the window, overlooking the field. It seemed about finished. It is noon, after all. "Roxas... Void season is nearing..." he sobbed. The pain in his voice was clear as day. I did not respond, for he knows I feel it as well. It is rather difficult to keep a straight face when an agonizing pain is pulsing through your body. "Son, need I remind you what to do?" "No..." This was my life in a nutshell. Fate has made it's choice the moment I was born.

I walked on to the table, the aroma of freshly cooked meat and earthy vegetables filled my nostrils. Usually I am the one cooking under this roof, though he did a pretty good job preparing a meal for someone who only knew how crops worked. I sat down, taking in the smells again. Getting a hold of a spoon, I chowed down. All I heard, as of this moment, was my own chewing. Until father decided to break the silence. "When am I gonna teach you how to farm, Roxas?" I never liked this question. "Never" I simply said. "Why not?!" he scolded me. "I just want to teach you the ways of the field! And you're simply going to refuse!?" I remained silent. The more he vents, the better. Or for worse. "You don't even give me back the love that I gave you, Roxas! As a father, this is unacceptable!" he snaps. I stood up, confronting him. His mark now glows a bright gold. It was time. I took out my knife. The same old knife that time and time again, returned my father to his senses. I stared at him, readying myself for the same old struggle. His bloodshot eyes glowed brighter as I felt his sanity slipping away for the Sun knows how many times. I sadly sighed, the last bit of empathy being buried inside me, only brought up once the season ends. Tightening my grip on the knife, he lunges at me at full force. I step to the side. He crashes unto the cupboard for the 36th time for the past 5 years. The glint of nostalgia filled me. I remember when mom used to calm him down. However, there was no reason to smile. As of this moment, the thing I am facing right now isn't my father. It is a monster. The organic carapaces grew from the mark on his shoulder. Metallic chunks of who knows what it's made changed the entirety of his upper body. Occasionally, I couldn't even recognize him. Too many times I almost killed him. Almost. He's been suffering for too long. "Maybe today..." I sighed. He attacks. I dodge to the right. Again, crashing, this time on the table. "Oh..." I was saddened. The meal was good too. Not that the table was any of importance. An heirloom in which my mother treasured. I remembered telling her that I'll keep it pristine even after her passing. I step forward, instantly greeted by a swipe to the arm. Jumping backwards, my left hand on my right shoulder tending to the wound. "Wow, he did hit me this time..." I tried to stand up. The strength in my legs faded. I dropped down, knees impacting first. I shuddered at the pain but paid no heed. I, once again, stood up. "Come!" I yelled. Our gazes meet. I could only see nothing but bloodlust. Though this was only ordinary. I pointed my blade at him as the world came to a halt. I've experienced this moment. Again and again. I remember the first time I was in this situation. Fear engulfed me. My hands and legs were shaking. Sweat poured out of me like a mountain river. This time, however, was all too different. I was ready. For the first time in my life, I truly felt alive. The thing before me roared at me in it's last attempt to scare me off. "I know how this song and dance ends, Father..." I announced. My voice echoed across the room, breaking the silence. "...all too well."

It charges at me. Words do not reach it. It no longer can understand emotions or even think. It is merely a beast driven by powerful, natural, killer instincts. It swipes upwards with it's left arm, barely scratching my face. I retaliate. Pushing all my energy unto a kick on the left side of it's body. The beast lost it's balance as it fell to the ground, sounding another great crash, destroying what was already broken in the process. Regaining it's willpower, it throws itself at me. Swiftly dodging to the right, I drive the blade unto it's right shoulder. It's attack only missing an inch from my face. I push the blade further in until only the hilt remained above the flesh. It shrieks. It's piercing cry isn't a pleasant sound to hear. It violently thrashes about, attempting to remove me and the blade. I pulled the blade, removing it from the flesh. The fresh slit gushed out pitch black blood as it began to calm down. It fell down face first, twitching uncontrollably. I allowed my whole weight to be dragged down by the pull of the world, resulting in a loud thud. I tried lifting my arms, but it feels like I'm getting dragged down the more I try to resist it. My legs didn't cooperate either. My usual strength wasn't there. My blade rolled away from me as I released it from my grip, continuing until it hit the wall. I glanced at the beast. The unholy features dissipated into the air like the fizzing bubbles by the riverside. I was starting to see him, now. The father who loved me. The son of the man who began this hell on earth. "How long would this last...?" I mumbled, my own prayers unheard.


	2. Chapter 2: An Uncanny Resemblance

It has been two hours since the last Eclipse outbreak. Somehow, he's unresponsive. I look outside through the window, the twilight sky beckoning. I stood up from my chair, a bit wobbly when I first sat on it. Regardless, it wasn't long until I decided to fix the furniture. I can't fix cupboards, however. That's father's job. I have to admit, I did not do a decent job. I nailed the mahogany table to the wooden wall and hung it using rope. The table's legs was dislodged from their frame a few hours ago. I opened the door, and looked back. Father sleeping soundly, his back against the wooden house wall. I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.

The air around me was cold. The last ray of the sun finally escaped the horizon as the Sun was buried under temporary darkness. The stars were out, the wind gently brushing against the blades of grass. My feet moved in rhythm. There was no other soul in sight, as per the usual. Despite this, there was a nearby village. Our home was also a few minutes away from the main trade route. There was business to be done.

After a few minutes of walking, I reached the village. The main sign greeted me, with the words, 'Corona Village' engraved on the steel plate. Even when the Sun has already set, the village streets were still lively as ever. Vendors trying their best to attract customers from far and wide. Carts pulled by Prickear Monkeys were rolling down the roads. Scholars from the Rune Academy were chatting away in the taverns with their noses in their books. Soldiers from the Sun Capitol patrolling the area, swords firmly gripped in their hands. As I walked past the large bulletin board, I stopped in my tracks. The three year old wanted poster, with a huge sum of rewards ranging from land to specialized magic tutoring, was still there. On it, read the words, 'WANTED: ROGER ACELIN'. The search got so loony that the poster was updated everytime they encountered him. The rewards and crimes increases everyday. There was literally a whole parchment listing down all of Roger's crimes next to the poster. As of today, 3 pieces of parchment was present on the board. "They still haven't settled the score with him, huh?" said an unfamiliar, rather juvenile voice. I turned to where it originated, and saw a young teen with short, striking savant blue hair. His appearance was familiar. My instincts are screaming that I've seen him somewhere, yet my mind provided no recollection of the sort. "Oh? Uhh... Yeah. It's still unbelievable that the Kingdom of the Sun still haven't caught him yet." I commented. It was a peculiar situation. They caught murderers before, why can't they manage this particular person? "Agreed. I'm Marcus, by the way..." the lad said, holding his hand out in front of him. I shook it, of course. A proper gesture must be done. "My name is Roxas." I examined at his attire. It was grand. More or less, made from the silk from a Patch Plant and leather from a wild Mongrel. Unlike my tattered robes. "... You're from the Rune Academy?" I asked from the dark. One can guess from that, however. His clothes were designed as that of the students there. "Why, yes." he smiled. He seemed thrilled to have his study place mentioned. Proud of it, even. "So, where are you going?" he asked me. "Off to Saint Paula..." "Oh, you don't seem sick to me." Marcus remarked with his index finger scratching his chin. "Oh, well..." he shrugged. "What about you? What kind of business does a student from the Rune Academy have?" Marcus chuckled. "Oh, you know. Just taking a breather off of studies..." "I see..." I started walking away before he had the courtesy to stop me. "So how about I accompany you to Saint Paula? I also kinda need to talk to her." Honestly, bringing a tag along to your personal business isn't fun. Especially when it's a person you just met. I was about to tell him off... "Sure." I nodded without much thought. I stood there for a moment as I waited for him to catch up. As soon as he was beside me, we walked to our destination.

Saint Paula is a healer. One I am particularly acquainted with. She is the reason me and my father were able to handle our dilemma. Without her, it's certain either one or the other would be dead at this point in time. Our lives are forever indebted to her. "What reason have you got for Saint Paula, though?" Marcus asked nonchalantly, his poise was carefree. "It's..." I stopped. I never told anyone except Saint Paula of our condition. No one in the history of Vendacti have ever encountered a condition such as this. To the point that I'm afraid that there is no cure. That I have to live with this burden my whole life. Until my final breath. "...complicated." I finished. Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Well, if there's anyone for the job, I'm sure Saint Paula is up to the task. Especially for your case.". He's right. She's really competent. "And here we are..." I said. We have arrived to Saint Paula's Facility of Cleansing. The building was rather small in stature. But that's just the outside. As we approached the light green barrier protecting the facility, my arm pulsated. "Hmph!" I held in my voice. A natural reaction to healing magic. "You alright?" he heard. I nodded, holding my arm back. We walked forward through the barrier. Marcus slipped in with ease. Looks like he's clean of all disease, then. Most of my body slipped through. Except for my right arm. I look at Marcus, who bore a shocked expression. One where he doesn't understand what's going on. My arm was held back, like it's magnetically attracted to the barrier. I leaned forward and brute forced my way in. Mustering up all my strength, I pulled. Plop. I stumbled forwards, landing on the grass. "Uh... W-what was that...?" he stuttered. "My complication..." I replied, panting. I brushed myself off as I stood up. "You ready?" "Yeah, let's go."

We approached the oak doors, knocking beforehand for good measure. Knock, knock, the sound rang. We waited with bated breaths. Light emerged from the door without much warning, causing Marcus to fall backwards. Ah, yes. Just like the first time I visited her with father. As the light dissipated, the place inside became visible. The usual, spacious healing facility is now in front of me. I gave Marcus a hand as I pulled him up and went in after him. As we went inside, books, cups, papers were circulating the ceiling. A system of sorts held up by magic. "Woah... I wonder if this is applied magic?" Marcus questioned. I remained silent. I did not have the answer he was looking for. The doors behind us slammed shut. "Yessss...?" moaned a soft voice, coming from the far back of the room. The circulating objects stopped in mid air. "Hey! Over here!" Marcus yelled. Poof. In an instant, Saint Paula materialized right in front of us from a blob of smoke, the system resumed it's business. "Roxas! I was kind of expecting you... Come!" she cheerfully said as she gestured the both of us to follow her. "And who is your friend?" she added. "Hello, Miss Saint. I am Marcus Dominus, student of Professor Aosta Clovis." "Ugh... Clovis..." I heard her mumble. I always hear her mumble. But this one, there's a hint of disgust in it. "Yes, saint. He wishes to send his regards to an old friend. You see, this is his last day in the Academy and-" The items in the air, once again, halted. Then fell to the floor. "OLD!? FRIEND!? Since when did that loner care for me!?" she exclaimed at the top of her lungs. This is rather new for me. Things don't usually get personal with her. I look on over at Marcus. Standing there, silent and petrified at Paula. "Uhh... ahem Well, send Professor Clovis my regards as well..." with a wave of her hand, a pen and a parchment wrote her thoughts, neatly rolled up, and was given to Marcus. "Wait outside, it's best if you do not know..." she said, her tone rather serious. Marcus obliged.

"Now then, Roxas..." "Yeah, yeah, you've been expecting me." "And yes, and you know why?" "..." I did not answer immediately. I know it full well. And somehow, even saying it scares me. "Well? Why?" she pressed as she crossed her arms. "The void season is nigh..." I answered. She nodded approvingly. "Sit" she told me. I approached the same, old table and sat on it. Levitating gloves fitted her hand as she came to me. Grabbing a chair of her own, she sat down at my right side. "Right..." she said as she carefully unwrapped the cloth from my arm. I felt my arm getting light with every piece removed. "Yeesh... When was the last time you washed these?" "I didn't have the time to." "Didn't have time to or did you not bother?" "Uhh..." "I thought so." the unwrapping continued for a while. The moment my arm felt air, I felt unstable. My arm was shaking. I wanted to scream with all my might. "Oh no, you don't!" she grabbed some sort of tonic and splashed it on my limb. It stung the first few seconds it touched my skin, then relief came. "That should do, for now..." she stood up, the chair whisked away and unto a storage space on the ceiling. "Lift your arm up." and so I did. It felt so light, then as my hopes sprang up, it was trampled the next second. It felt heavy again. I dropped my arm. "What am I thinking...? I know there's no cure. So why should I be hopeful?" I thought to myself. I find myself once again in the dark. I look up at Paula, her finger on my chin. "Don't feel so blue, Roxas." she turned around and headed for the cupboard. "At least you're able to lift it now. Unlike the last time." Despite hating to admit it, she was right. The last time was a total disaster. I almost destroyed her whole office. "Drink this." she tosses an object at me. "The same old juice..." she added. "Bottoms up, huh?" I said, raising the bottle to her. She nodded with a smile. My lips touched the glass and began drinking the solution. A bit bitter, with a sweet aftertaste. "Hmm." "All good, Roxas?" I nodded. "Good." I jumped off the table and made my way to the doors. "Wait!" I stopped and turned around to look at her. She's refilling the bottle with the same solution. "Give this to your father." she, once again, tossed it at me. I managed to catch it. This time with my right arm. "Thanks for everything, Paula." "Don't mention it. Now scram!" she yelled as a burst of light engulfed me. I quickly covered my eyes, blinding me on the spot. As I regained my vision, I found myself outside the green barrier, with Marcus standing just outside the door. "Marcus!" I called him. He turned around as soon as he heard. "Hey!" he ran towards me. "I thought you'd go through the doors." "This is Saint Paula you're talking about. She'll find a way to give you a grand exit." I commented as Marcus laughed. Still, as fun loving as Saint Paula can be, I know she's not all sugar. "So, where to now?" "Me? I'm going hom-" Bang. The explosion cut off my reply. With it, came a great fire. A few moments afterwards, the sound of chainmails and swords were echoing through the streets. A horde of soldiers were rushing towards the main plaza. "Wait... What is happening?" Marcus gasped. A look of concern was plastered on his face. I shrugged as a response. There was definitely something fishy. I reached for my knife. My hands only met air. I forgot to bring it. I sighed. Today isn't a good day for me. Still, I ran along the crowd, parting with Marcus without a proper farewell.

In the far distance, I hear screams and growls. Is there an invasion? Monster outbreak? Time to find out. I run towards the source. I break free from the crowd and dove into an alleyway. Despite not being an official resident, I know every pathway of this town. The pathways were cold and dark. Twists and turns, most leading to dead ends and shady business places. "Main Plaza... So that means..." I thought. My mind drew a map and I had to follow it. Normally, a person would be lost in this pseudo-labyrinth. I trusted my memory and my feet moved along with it until it lead me to an empty street. I'm guessing the villagers already left. Within the emptiness of the town, I heard another set of screams and cries for help. A man's cry was cut short as his life was taken from him. A sound that one wouldn't want to hear and a horrifying silhouette. A neck being violently ripped apart by a monstrous being. I gulped. I hesitate. I don't have anything to defend myself aside from my own limbs. I know they'll be torn off if I tried. As I took three steps forward, I felt an eerie sensation. "Huh, what?" My arm pulsed harder. It's painful throbs came like waves, bringing unimaginable agony along with it. I unwrap the cloth, the mark of the Eclipse glowing dark red. Dark clouds escaped my fingers like morning mist. I felt my sanity leaving me. My vision blurring. "ARGH! S-STOP PLEASE!" I pleaded, but alas, the pain did not halt. I held back my arm, the throbbing became more intense as each second passed. Until I felt one last, excruciating wave of pain course through my body. I screamed. Just as they did. I clutched my chest as tight as I could. The pain was too much. My right arm was numb. Even frostbites couldn't compare to this level of numbness. Tears rolled down my face. "P-please..." I whimpered. Then everything faded to black.

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For a moment, darkness was all I could see. Floating in never ending oblivion, I cried. "Is this how death feels...?" I muttered in the darkness. There was nothing I could do. Just rest in the pitch black nothingness. Until I felt warmth. My chest was burning, but it didn't hurt. Within the darkness, light bursted from the nothingness. I felt the rays of light embracing me, like I'm being accepted for who I am. My heart beats fast. My mouth formed a smile. This was it. This was bliss. Yet, like at things, it had to end. The darkness once again covered the light, it's brightness consumed and is now dripping like molten magma. "I do not want this..." I opened my eyes...

"What happened...?" my head ached. I held my head as it throbbed. I pushed up, sitting rather uncomfortably on the stone below me. I looked at my hand, the mark now passive. "Why... Why now?" I told it, though I knew it wouldn't understand. I proceeded to wrap it tightly until I felt numb again. As I clenched my fist, I took a gander at my surroundings. The stone path covered in blood and corpses. Villagers, merchants, scholars and soldiers alike. Dead. The ashes of the buildings and houses decorated the ground like a child playing with paint. I stood up, brushing off the ash covering my robes. I approached one body. That of a Sun Capitol soldier. "I'm guessing they haven't got the culprit." I knelt down, inspecting the young man's lifeless body. As expected, I spot a sword on the left side of his waist. Before retrieving the weapon, I spoke. "I hope I do not anger you, friend..." It was a long sword. I appropriately strapped the scabbard unto my torso, the hilt protruding from my left shoulder. It was heavy. The blade's weight was not something I am accustomed to. "Now, then..." I whispered. Kneeling down once more beside the body, I reach out to him. I closed his eyes with two fingers. "I shall honor you... Thank you." I stood up and left. As much as I hate to say it, I have no time for burials. Let alone dig a grave. Fate calls, after all. The world doesn't revolve around you. You have to revolve with the world if you don't want to get thrown off course.

I marched towards the flames. I felt the heat on my skin. I was getting closer. I see a big, wide clearing. And in the middle of it all, I see the fire. A big one. And the pyre? A broken rune chariot. "Who in the world could've done this...?". As the question lingered in my mind, I see an inhumane silhouette before me. The embers are burning and flying away from the chariot and into the sky. Stepping forward, the silhouette moved. It turned to me. The supposedly amputated criminal stood right there. It's right arm made of monster flesh. Razor sharp too. His blade was fragmented, covered in blood. I took a deep breath. I know what I'm facing. "This is gonna be the same dance..." I said. Roger's stance was slumped, beast-like. "Rraaaargghh!" he growls at me. I unsheathe the blade, my left hand drooping because of the weight. "I can do this..." I thought, motivating myself until it straightened. He groans. "RRAAARGH!!" he roars as he leapt at me. Swiftly moving to the left, I dodge the leap. However, it was powerful enough to knock me back a few steps away. My feet landed, ankles a bit rusty. They scramble as my feet desperately tried to regain balance. Luckily, I found my center again. Just in time to ready myself for the next attack. Roger lifts himself up from the impact crater, blood dripping out from his fresh wounds. How can you stop someone who doesn't even flinch? He charges at me in great speed. I barely manage to move before receiving a blow to the stomach. There I was, flying through the air like a ragdoll. Crash. My back hit a wooden wall, I lost all my air for a moment. "Gah!" I gasped for air. I tried getting up, but the strength wouldn't come. I clawed my way out of the debris before stumbling to the ground, kneeling as I coughed up blood. My throat became sore. Roger menacingly walks towards me. Then leaps. Instincts rolled in. Lunging the sword forward, I drive it to his left shoulder. His weight drives it even further in, until the blade came out on the other end. "RAAAH!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, finding the last of my remaining strength as I attempted to slam him back to the ground, crushing the earth beneath the both of us. I stomped on his chest. His body flinching before peacefully fainting. I remove the blade, confident that I have neutralized him. I'm out of breath. I touch my stomach, the pain coming from that one punch. "ARGH!" then it hit me. Without warning, the mark throbs again. My right arm is pointing at Roger. I can't control it. It wants something. Dark red clouds are now leaking through the cloth, making their way to Roger's unconscious body. And like cauldron leeches, latches on to him. It pulsates once more and returned to me. Somehow, I felt renewed. I touched my stomach. It didn't hurt anymore. My back wasn't bleeding now. "Huh, neat...". I sheathe my blade with a shaking hand and looked around. The plaza was now destroyed. The burning rune chariot was still an issue. "Brother Roger!" shrieked a voice behind me. I turned to it and saw a brunette with cat ears. A demihuman. "Brother Roger! Are you okay!?" she immediately begins attending to him like a mother to his injured son. Only now I noticed that the arm was imploding. It was slowly being suppressed into his body until he only had one arm. "What was that just now...?" instead of getting my question answered, I get a dagger thrown at me. Fortunately, her aim was not so great. "Did you do this to brother Roger!? If so- !!" she was interrupted, Roger holding her back. Just as I was clenching my sword. "Kittyeyes... Don't..." Roger weakly said. "This man... Helped me... So please..." she immediately embraced him. "Nyaaa~ Brother Rogerrrr!" she whimpered, tears welling in her eyes as she tightened her embrace. "Yes... I'm back..." he reassured her. "HEY! THERE THEY ARE!" a voice announced. A platoon of Sun Soldiers were heading our way. "I think we should ru-" I said. But there was no one to talk to. Both Kittyeyes and Roger were gone. "Quick feet, but bad aim..." I said to myself. "Hey! You! Did you do this?" a soldier questioned me on the spot. I stepped back a bit. Running would be an indirect confession in their eyes. "No" I firmly said. "Oh really?" said another soldier. "It was Roger. You all just missed him." I said, trying to convince the whole platoon. The response I got were all boos and jeers. "Lies!" one yelled. "Arrest him!" said another. Looks like they've made up their mind. I clasped the blade and prayed. This might be messy...


	3. Chapter 3: The Cruelty of Destiny

"Get him!" a soldier from the back exclaimed as they all charge towards me. The front row soldier readied his slow strike. I dodge to the right with ease, retaliating whilst unsheathing my sword. The blade cutting through his chest from his right shoulder to his left. The soldier fell to his knees rather easily. Considering these are the most elite in the continent, I was taken aback by the lack of willpower. His armor clanged as I elbowed the soldier behind me to the ground. I jumped backwards to make some distance. There were about 8 people left. "This I can make do..." I said to myself as I ran towards them.

I have fought monsters, though I have no experience against people. But then again, what's the difference?

The second soldier wielded a lance. One wrong move and I'll be skewered. "Hyah!" the soldier yelped as it drove the lance forward. A yelp that was oddly feminine. A quick step to the right and the lance just barely hits me. I immediately follow up with a leg sweep. The forward momentum caused her to tumble forwards, rolling just a few meters away. I turn my attention to the remaining soldiers. "STOP!" commanded a burly voice. They all ceased to move and sheathed their swords, proceeding to fall in line. I panted as they all stopped. Out of stamina, already? What am I doing? "HA!" they all breathed in unison. I splashed the blood on the grass, cleaning my blade and sheathed it. I felt all my body became heavier as I wore the sword. I really need to get used to this.

A loud, rhythmic clunking of metal was drawing near. The soldier's now shaking. The source of the loud metallic clunking was from a man, dressed in fine military garments. His armor was bulky. The shield he held was enormous. However, to him, it was light as a feather. Beside him, a woman, with snow white hair dressed in standard battle uniform, was following him closely. A rapier grasped in her left hand. Her steely eyes met with mine. Like a sudden magic bolt hitting me, I flinch. "What happened here?" the man asked the soldiers. They all shivered before speaking up. "H-he caused the damage, C-colonel Levon!" one soldier said.

Colonel Levon? As in, the Dylan Levon? Hero of the Border Wars? And here I thought he was just a legend father used to tell me. As unbelievable as it was, the man eyeing the soldier fitted father's descriptions. Deep blue hair and a defining aura around him. Even if you only heard of him in legends, being in the same area as him is like the fresh smell of peppermint in the morning. It's just feels good. But then, at this point I realized that the soldier the colonel was eyeing was pointing at me. His hand was shaking. Probably sweating, too. My eyes widened as he averted his gaze from the soldier and directed it at me. Fear enveloped my mind. My heart sank down, my breaths becoming deeper and longer. Dylan walked on over to me. I only stood there, balling my fist as he approached. "You... Explain what happened..." he said. "Gladly." I said. But before I could utter any words, he held his right hand in front of me. "From the moment you arrived here, all right?" I nodded. "You see, I was just visiting Saint Paula for a check up then all of a sudden an explosion occurred, followed by the response of what I assume to be Sun Capitol soldiers." I stopped. He continues to nod as I explained the situation. I think I hit all of the right notes there. "Continue..." "Right, then after making my way to a corner near the plaza, I picked up this long sword from a downed soldier before entering the plaza. That's where I met and fought Roger Acelin." "WHAT!?" he shouted as he dropped his shield beside him before grabbing my shoulders with his hands. "Tell me where he went!" "I don't know. He was gone when your troops arrived." Dylan let out a defeated sigh. He turned to look at his soldiers. Though I can't see the colonel's face, the soldiers did jump back a bit. "Anyways... That sword you wield was from a soldier, wasn't it?" I immediately took the blade off of me. This is considered as theft, after all. "Oh, yeah. Right. I should return this to-" "Oh no, no. You can keep it. I'll take your word for clashing with Acelin. He's a tough one, I'll tell you..." I agree. Taking a punch to the gut really tells you that. "Well, we'll be taking our leave. Farewell." he said, turning his back toward me. The white haired lady was still glaring at me. She gave me one final snarl before catching up to Dylan. Like a child running to it's parent.

I suppose there is nothing left to do here. Despite the fact that most of Corona Village is destroyed, I am still glad that I'm alive. Well, mostly glad. I strap the sword sheathe on the body again. This time feeling comfortable with the weight. I guess mood changes when you meet face to face with a living legend. I stared at the burning debris of the Rune Chariot in the middle of the plaza. Still engulfed in flames after several minutes have passed. I actually wonder if eternity exists?

There was once eternity. Eternal life to be precise. A tale all living beings know of. The legend of creation. The Almighty Sdorica. Proud and pure, slain by Vendacti and gave mankind liberty and freedom with the price of losing their eternal life. But who knows if that ever is true. The fact of the matter is, you'll be speechless when it actually is the truth. Then again, nothing is truly ever real. It's up to us to make sense of it all.

I walked past the burning pile. Now, I made my way home. The embers wished they could follow me, yet they disappear with each passing second.

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"Roxas! Where have you been? I have been worried sick! And my goodness, look at the moonlight! It's late!" Father cried as he embraced me. My noodle arms slowly hugged him back. "Just visited Saint Paula, father." "That's good... I'm just glad you're back home..." he was now squeezing me. "Uhhh... How about you let go now, father?" I said. He promptly did so. I was gasping for air as he was triumphantly standing in front of me. Despite me returning home past bed time, he was in a good mood. Which is rare, even so in this season.

If there's anything to look forward to in this house, it's sleep. The moonlight on the foot of my bed makes a good sight before dozing off. But before that, I usually help father with house chores. Sweeping the floor, washing whatever plates we have left and fixing the house was a common routine. We'd always have something to fix every night. "Roxas, get the mallet. These need to get reinforced." Father said as he was examining the table that I nailed on the wall. We got to work as soon as I returned with the mallet in hand.

As much as I like to sleep, this is really mandatory. Sometimes we have no choice and fate makes them for us. We're stripped of the freedom we've been given even when we're already free. A paradox, one might say. Putting mankind on strings and playing with them would be acceptable if we were given something that compensates our loss. Maybe that's what the contented men thought.

"Son, what are you staring at?" Father snapped his fingers at me, bringing me back to reality. A couple of mallet swings later, and the table is properly nailed to the wall. I hope it'll last until next year. I just hope it does. "Maybe we'll call it a night, no? It has been a long day..." He's right. It has been an extremely long day. I look outside the window, the moon's brightness was at it's peak. The candle that was lighting the house was running out of wax to burn. "It's time to rest..." I muttered as father was already snoring, lying on his left side on the floor. He didn't even bother getting out the mongrel pelt. I sighed. "I guess there's no helping it then." I said, proceeding to get the pelt for myself.

I laid it down on the floor and spread it to it's maximum length. Mongrel pelts are enough to encompass two people. It's quite spacious when I'm the only one who's using it. As I stared at the ceiling, my mind was a mess. There were no coherent thoughts to think about. No issue to argue on my own. Just the nonexistent static that's going on in my head. I continued to stare at the ceiling longer, father's snores were becoming awfully apparent by the minute. I let out one yawn before the sleep in my eyes overtook my body.

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As I felt the darkness wrap around me, I also felt my mind wander. These were the only chances life gave me at being any normal. Dreams are instantaneous. Sometimes, you have no control and you are forced into a perspective where you experience it first hand.

It's like living life in the eyes of another person. Once you're aware, however, you can do whatever you want. That is, for me, live a normal life.

This was not given to me this time.

The hazy vision made it slightly difficult to see what the dream had in store for me. But, after a short while, it finally became clearer. I was surprised. Not by a birthday surprise, not by a gift from a friend or from father, not even from seeing mother after a long time. Although, that would be pretty great. I was surprised that I was in a place I didn't recognize.

"Huh..." I looked around me. I was in a hall of some sorts. Decorated with red banners with golden lining, stained glass windows and a throne placed at the end of the room. I don't usually be imaginative, yet this was awfully strange that I imagined a place this grand.

The dream was finally unfolding it's story.

I felt my feet move towards the throne. As much as I was getting excited to actually sit on an actual throne, even if it's in a fake reality, I didn't. Instead, I took a seat on the throne's right arm, sitting rather comfortably despite how it looked. I just sat there for a while, looking at the blinding light beyond the windows and staring at the beautifully designed banners.

Suddenly, as if I knew what to do, the sound of trumpets made me stand up at attention. Chin up and breast out. Like royalty. I don't remember anything about being so noble and proud. As if I had anything to be proud of. Being the son of a farmer is as dreadful experience.

Giant doors, opposite from the throne, swung open. 5 pairs of soldiers were lined up on the carpet before the throne. I felt my right hand grasp the sword at my back. Somehow, it's lighter than before. No, calling it light would be an understatement. It was so light that it didn't even feel like a sword anymore. I unsheathed the sword with my right hand and held it in front of me. Hands firmly placed on the pommel.

Faint footsteps echoed through the throne room. The soldiers stood firm and held their javelins tightly. I did the same. This all, somehow, felt natural. We don't know our purpose in life. And yet, here I am. In this dream. Looking onward unto the arrival of a person. Feeling as if this is what I was made for...

Although it does feel like this is destiny, a dream remains a dream until fate decides so. And, as far as I am concerned, fate really loves to pull on my strings. Like a dragon with it's puppets, it's will forever final.

"Heads high, everyone! The Princess is here!" a voice called. I smiled. At the back of my mind, I didn't know why I smiled. Neither did I know to whom did the voice belong. Until I heard her giggle that I realized that the voice that called her was my own. "Hehehe, okay okay, Roxas. No need to be all so formal." she said. I took a step forward, though I didn't move from my spot. I was waiting anxiously. Who is this person? How does she know my name? Why am I here?!

Fate once again, decided to play a game with me. A game in which I cannot win. A one sided game. Like always. And forever.

Her dress was beautiful. All white, but designed with intricate patterns that you could clearly see. She had long, amazing blonde hair that was free flowing. That made my heart throb. Still, I did not know why. I have so many questions. Are they going to be answered today? Right here? Right now? Fate says no.

As soon as I got a glimpse of her face, reality came rushing to me. My consciousness floated in darkness. For a while, I was left stumped. It was like finally finishing a long day of planting seeds but then you realize you've planted them on the wrong soil and you'd have to start all over again. A flash of light came. Next, a silhouette. Then the face of father was front of me. He was... awfully close to my own face.

His eyes were worried. He had sweat running down his face. One drop spilled to my nose as I flinched. "What are you doing...?" I asked him. I look to my left as I saw him pinning my left arm to the ground. Same goes for my right arm. He still hasn't responded to my question. I sighed. I guess I have to wait in order for me to get my answer, huh?

"Sorry, Roxas... You were acting a bit strange..." I won't say I'm surprised or anything. It's been going on like this for a month. This didn't happen before Saint Paula, too, so it's odd to think an outburst like that occurred after my visit to Saint Paula. "The same act, father?" "Same act..." I don't know what the outburst is, though. Father isn't the type of person who explains things clearly to you. Most of the time, he'd give you a vague imagery and leave you with it. It's frustrating, to say the least. Since I'm his son, I have to deal with his personality. After all, if mother can do it, so can I? Right?

"Uhm... father..." "Yes?" "Can you get off of me, now?" he did what I asked. I sat up as he sat beside me. I turned to look at the window, the dawn's early light beams through into the house. I figured it was time for some field work. Sitting up from the pelt, I hurriedly rolled it and set it aside for later this evening. Grabbing some rye bread from the counter, I went outside.

"Ah... early morning..." I muttered as I stared at the fields. It was harvesting season. Coincidental, huh? This is what I love and hate about this time of year. I love the fact that we get to reap what we were working our butts off all year and hate the fact that it's void season too. There is nothing else you could do but live on. I grabbed the sickle from the storage box and made my way to the open field, chewing the bread that I stuffed in my mouth.

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It was now mid-day. The Sun was now beginning to be unforgiving. The lack of water in your body would easily be the death of one. Luckily for me and father, our house was near a river stream, so water was a fairly abundant resource. Still, it was hot. Cutting off the last sugar cane, I tossed it to the wheelbarrow as I wiped the sweat off of my forehead. I see father working on the last row of sugar cane. He's pretty determined today, so I opted to go get a bucket of water instead of helping him. He believes that if one is willing to do it, then one should be able to do it without help. Judging from the look of his face, he seems that way today, as odd as it may seem to me. I pushed the wheelbarrow closer to him, just enough for him to toss the sugar canes in. I went to the house and changed my clothes. I threw aside my sweaty shirt and got a bucket of water. "Where did I put my sword...?" I asked myself as I darted around the house, looking for the longsword. "Here it is!" I enthusiastically said as I grabbed the handle and tied the sheathe around me. Time to head for the river stream.

Aside from the usual critters that run around these parts, everything wasn't out of place. Nothing is ever extraordinary. Unless, of course, you count the glimmer wolves. They are always, and I mean always, the reason behind bush and grass fires. I remember a time when they were so destructive, that they managed to burn half of Paradise Prairie. That didn't please anyone. Especially father. He got so upset that he tried to kill them all. If I didn't stop him there and then, all glimmer wolves would've been extinct. But, that would've helped the prairie, right?

The river stream was fairly close, so it wasn't much of a journey to be honest. However, it was still practical to bring a weapon with you wherever you go. Especially at this time of year. Longtail Beasts surely are major causes of crop loss. I hate those things. You can't even tell if they're good as pets or just plain old monsters in disguise. They're a hassle too. Life's hard as a peasant. I knelt down on by the river bank and scooped a bucket full of water. After putting it aside, I leaned down to grab myself a drink. A quick sip off of the river wouldn't hurt.

"Help! Somebody help us!" I heard cries of help. I sighed. Just as my lips touched the water too. I stood up and looked around. I waited for a bit. Bang. Bang. Bang. Each blast shaking the earth beneath me a little. "ARRGHH!" the cries come from little children. Oh, I wonder which monster is ravaging little children today. Just as I expected, a large, muscular creature with sharp, yellow fangs with wings that protrude from the back of it's arms, were attacking 2 children. "Kids!" I yelled at them. Both of them looked at me. The beast began it's descent from the air, planning to crush the poor fellas. "Run!" the beast crashed. Dirt and rocks were flying everywhere. Luckily, as the dust conceded, the little guys were unscathed.

I ran at the beast, long sword in hand. It's sensitive ears caught wind of my approach and swiped me away. I dodge to the right and slashed the sword in, scraping it's left wing. It screeched in pain and flew away. But it didn't flew away. Blood was quickly escaping from the wound I caused, rendering it useless for flight. This was my chance. I threw my blade at the beast's chest. It roared in pain. I unleashed my full speed and charged right in, the distance between the beast and me were covered in just seconds. I jumped towards it, my left hand aiming at the sword I threw.

The moment I managed to grip the handle, the beast flailed like a madman. The sword in my hand threw me around like a ragdoll. I held on tight, no matter what. Until finally, my feet met the ground and sliced it's chest apart. Making the both of us crash into the ground.

As the dust settled, I limped away from the beast with sword in hand. Or rather, in between my fingers, dragging it along as I made my way out from the impact crater.

I looked back. The longtail beast, slain. This was my first. Most of the time, me and father would just repel these things off of our field. But never have I ever slain one until today. For the first time in my life, I felt victorious.

As if on cue, a big dramatic pause, fate, once again, decided to play with me.

I approached the beast's bloody corpse. I knelt down and brought up my skinning knife. Longtail Beast hides are precious. As people can't easily kill these wicked bastards. They sell at a high price at the market too. Maybe I'll get a fortune from this alone. Who knows? Maybe enough for us to make a comeback in life.

I drove the knife in, smiling as the thoughts of the future excited me. Fresh blood trickled from the wound. I stopped to watch the blood flow from it. As it reached the bottom, from which I expected to be grass, it drips onto the arm of a child.

The child that I was trying to save.

I took a step back. Fear enveloped my senses. Confusion arose in me. How could this be? "Hey! What happened here!?" shouted a woman as she ran toward my direction. Alongside her, I assume would be the child who was attacked earlier.

I didn't answer.

"Oh, you killed a longtail... Thank goodness... My son told me everything. So, where's my child?" she said. She even looked at me with the most sincere and concerned eyes that I wish telling the truth was easy.

But telling the truth isn't easy. At least, not for me.

I took a deep breath. Yet no words were spoken. Just plain and utter silence. I leaned towards my right, reaching for my skinning knife. As my fingers lightly touched the handle, she shrieked. "HHYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" her face was drained of color. Her son started to vomit. I just took out my knife. The beast's blood started gushing out.

"Wha... I don't even... Why!?" her face was carrying a variety of emotions. I could see anger, confusion, despair and insanity. All in one. Take every negative energy in the world and put it on her. "Ma'am... I'm sorry... I tried to save him..." I said, trying to comfort her.

She fell to her knees. Despair was all I could see. Her sobs became louder. The disbelief in her voice grew. My heart could not take it. Her son joined her in her mourning.

I slowly reached out to her, pushing one final attempt to calm her down. But, then again, what can I do? Say sorry again? That it was a slip up? No, no more. Any more would result in more tears.

So, I walked away...


	4. Chapter 4: In The Darkness

The Sun was disappearing behind the clouds. A ray of light touched me before showing me the dark and dreary sky. Clouds were covering the light above. A sign of hopelessness.

"What am I gonna do...?"

I whispered to myself. Though the sky was dark, the breeze did not let up. It was the world's way of telling me to cheer up. Or at least, that's I like to think of it as, anyways. Even though I like to keep up a smile all the time, there isn't anything to be happy about. Not after what happened the last few weeks.

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I sat behind a wooden counter, just beside the main road. In front of me were nothing but grass, some rocks, and occasionally blue spotted wolf cubs playing with one another. To my left was the pathway to our home and the main road leading to Totemtaff Ridge. To my right, the path to the Kingdom of the Sun.

This was a route most adventurers and merchants would take. When I was a little boy, I used to merely stare at the window and watch as travelers would cross my vision countless times. It was a thrill. This time's thrill, however, was a bit different.

The last few weeks, I was able to slay more Longtails and carve out their hides for sale. Right now, we got a crate filled to the brim with Longtail hides. We're selling a piece for 2000 curren, since this is, what I found out, to be the cheapest price for these hides. If I am able to sell all of these, we would have enough money to move to a better place. But considering it's father, I doubt that we are going to go anywhere. "What you're looking at, Roxas, is what me and your mother worked so hard for... This is our home..." he said. I remember clearly how he said it, too. He was smiling. Quite widely, as I may say. He was proud.

Now, here I am. Sitting. Just sitting. My head resting on my hand as boredom struck me once more. The only way I could pass the time was watching the ants move to and fro. I've always wondered what they were doing deep in their colonies. Probably attending some big, old ant or something similar to that.

I stood up. I could hear faint voices in the distance. "What are you doing, you idiot?! We are suppose to be heading back home now!" said a voice that was rather high pitched. What followed was the exchanging of shouts and yells that were inaudible. These were all coming from a wooden carriage that was drawn by a Kalta. A pretty magnificent beast if you ask me. The only animal that could survive in the desert all by itself. If the world fell into ruin and there was nothing but sand, this animal would be it's only inhabitant. At least, it would be the last to die off.

"LONGTAIL HIDES ONLY TWO THOUSAND CURREN! COME GET YOURS TODAY!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. That should do the trick. Like flies flying to a decomposing corpse, the cart was hastened and stopped immediately in front of me. I didn't even get to react when it got to me. I heard clings and clangs as the cloth covering the carriage was moving. Emerging from the carriage, was a huge figure. About twice as wide as me. "Hohoho~ what were you saying lad?" said the same high pitched voice. It came from a man. No, a machine, finely dressed in splendid clothing that were certainly made from the finest of tailors. His mechanical arm held a glass of wine and held out his right hand to me, it's head making it's way to it's hand to face me. "Oh, uh, Longtail Hides. Only two thousand Curren." "TWO THOUSAND!? And how many are those babies?" "About 74 in total..." As his head ran toward his torso and, somehow, sat comfortably, he immediately gestured his companion to get whatever he was asked to get. "SOLD! I want EVERYTHING!" he celebrated.

I could only watch on as he reveled in his joy. Despite going through pain to get to the number of hides in my possession, business is still nice. Although it wasn't all that difficult to find Longtails, slaying one would take quite the time. The frequency in which they came to our field, however, was a whole different story. Still, though, I've hit a jackpot. Just as this mechanical merchant did. Not to mention, I sold everything all at once. Today's really a good day. As far as good days go.

As his tiny, mechanical head danced around his entire body, a pushcart was pushed towards him, containing a large sum of curren. He then reached into his mechanical body and took a few dozen crystals and added them to the cart. "Here, young lad. A cart full of curren! I'm in a good mood today, so I added a few extra crystals to compensate your troubles~"

And here I thought today couldn't get any better. I felt a wide smile creep on my face as I stared at the cart. This isn't a treasure room full of money, but it's something.

I lifted the box up and handed it to his companion, who swiftly carried it into the carriage. "Well, that's about it for me! I'll see you next time~" he said as he tipped his wine glass and turned his back on me. Climbing on top of the Kalta saddle, he grabs the reins and whips. The Kalta dashed towards the Kingdom of the Sun, leaving only dust as it disappeared along with the merchant.

Huh, what an interesting fellow that guy was.

I looked to my right to see unbelievable amount of money he gave me. Considering he was a merchant, this was about a 1/16th of his fortune. A small sum that we peasants could dream of.

I excitedly pushed the cart home, thrilled to announce to father the good news.

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A few minutes of fairly fast paced cart pushing, I reached our house. Looking at it from afar, it was really an old house. The wooden structure was all soft and saggy from all the exposure to rain and heat. Even both at the same time. Only recently have we got another problem in our hands. A termite related problem. Now, I don't usually feel safe under the roof mother and father made. I feel like it could come crashing down at any given time.

Nevertheless, I kicked down the door and announced loudly. "FATHER! I SOLD EVERYTHING!"

But I wasn't greeted by an overjoyed father. Instead, he was kneeling down, his head bowed down in front of the window. The sun's rays touching his scalp. He's praying. "Huh..." I pushed in the cart into the house. There was still enough space to move around, even when I put this cart that merchant gave me. It was a big cart, I'm not gonna lie. It took a whole lot of space. It was twice the size of our rusty wheelbarrow.

"Roxas, come join me." he said as he patted the floor beside him, gesturing me. Well, why not? I went on over beside him and did what I was told. I knelt on the floor, quite uncomfortably. But I didn't mind. It was prayer, after all.

"Why pray all of a sudden...?" I asked him. "Why not?" I stopped to think. Ever since mother passed away, father wasn't praying as often as he should. Everyday, the three of us would gather in this very spot and thank the Sun for all the blessings it had given us. But, not anymore. I used to keep it up, but then there was no point without mother. She would always lead our prayers to the Sun. She was our guiding light. Our sunshine, if you will.

"Why did you stop praying all those years ago, then?" "Because..." he stopped. I think it was a cruel question to begin with. I never felt pain any truer than losing someone dear to you. When I was young too...

"...I couldn't let go of her, Roxas..." he breathed a heavy sigh. I felt my chest become tighter. Just thinking about it, oh how I wonder how he feels right now? I couldn't even scratch the surface. No, what I am feeling right now would pale in comparison to his.

"Roxas..." father turned to me. His look was serious. "If you ever love a woman, promise me, protect her with all your life. Don't ever be like me..." he said. Firmly squeezing my shoulders. For the first time in years, he actually managed to say something that is helpful. Well, at least helpful in the future, assuming I'll ever get a woman I intend to love. I simply nodded. He smiled, satisfied with my silent answer.

"Right, what was it you wanted to tell me?" he said as he walked out the door, completely ignoring the huge pile of curren right up in his face. "Oh yeah, I sold everything. A kind merchant bought everything and gave me extra. So, a win-win." I explained. Only then did father notice the cart of curren.

His jaw dropped to the floor. I saw the face of joy and disbelief. Who could blame him, though? "R-really!?" he expressed, his voice cracking just a little bit. I simply nodded with a smile. He ran up to me and hugged me tight. I was nearly suffocating. I couldn't breathe all that well. This was fairly reminiscent. "Okay-OKAY! Please, let go now!" I pleaded. He let me go. I was grasping for air.

Although, we did hit a jackpot today, I couldn't help but feel a tad bit sad. I don't know why. I just...

...didn't smile.

Father got wind of this very quickly, though. "Roxas?" I turned to look at the cart. It was definitely a sight worth seeing. All those riches, one that we never got hold of until today. Heh, I wonder...

"What's wrong, son? Aren't you overjoyed?" "I am..." I didn't curl up a smile at all. It would feel nice, though. "You don't seem like it..." Again, he's now becoming of a father worth having. It was strange. The sudden change of our home's atmosphere was strange. All of it didn't make any sort of sense. I felt lost. My thoughts were racing out of me. Like a swarm of locusts.

I want to throw up.

"Yeah... I am..." I didn't hear myself conjure up any emotion. I am just lying at this point. Even if he asks me what's wrong, I wouldn't be able to answer. I look at him. His smile was gone. Maybe, just maybe, even he knows what's wrong.

I made my way out of the house. I couldn't bear to ruin such a good moment. And, somehow, I did. Only now did father ever notice that the door was gone.

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The afternoon breeze was a bit refreshing. The sun's rays weren't all that harsh, now. All the critters were dozing off, the flowers were withering, and the mountain's glows grew more intense as the soul energy coursed through them. It was a pretty sight to behold. Was.

All things are pretty the first time you see them. Like flowers for instance. They look absolutely beautiful the first time you've plucked them from the ground. But as time passes, they wither and their beauty will fade as if they were never beautiful in the first place.

I wonder...

I just wonder if there's anything in this world that is ugly the first time you see it, yet it begins to show all it's shades of beauty. A flawed that is being loved instead of a perfection that is loathed. If there is such a thing that exists, then please, world, show it to me.

I walked to the same tree and hill, one where me and mother used to sleep under. We would always watch the clouds pass by after father has finished all of his field work and doze off some time later. It was pretty peaceful and kind of fun.

I walked up to the tree's trunk. All the carvings me and mother made were still there. I remember them all. It's like we just carved them out yesterday. One such marking struck me. It was saddening, now that I saw it.

"One, Happy Family" I smiled sadly. There was a little heart beside it too. How time flies...

How cruel time is...

"Roxas!" yelled a rather familiar voice. I turned around to see where the voice came from. The same blue haired lad came up to the hill and greeted me. "Hey! How're you holding up?" Marcus asked me. "I'm fine, thanks. Why are you here, though?" "Well, my teacher decided to quit and go to Paradise Prairie for personal business. So I came here looking for him. Didn't think I'd see you here." "I live around these parts..." I commented. It bugged me a little that he hasn't realized it. Well, who would guess correctly anyways? I guess I'm the one to blame. I didn't tell him all my details, too.

"Oh, right... Anyways..." he stopped. He forgot what to say next. He just stood there with a frozen expression. I swear I saw a little bit of sweat drip from his face. "Oh, yeah! I also need your help." Without any remorse, without any consideration, he straight up asked me from the blue. Why did I become friends with this guy again? Nevertheless, I accepted and answered, "What do you need?" "I need you to help me track down Professor Clovis. I have something to give him." "Wait, don't tell me you're just an errand boy of the Academy..." "Ah, no. Not really. It just so happens to be me all the time. It gets kinda annoying, too." Considering he is in full uniform, his words spoke the truth. But who knows? Maybe he just likes to dress up as a student. Nonetheless, it's not particularly good to be assuming people's intentions.

"Well, I need to get my sword first..." I said, walking away. He grabbed me before I even got 4 steps. "Hey, you don't need it. You got me!" he proudly said, pointing at himself. "Hahaha, nah. I just wanna be safe. There's no such thing as too careful, after all." I tugged at my arm as he lets it go and I started walking away. "You coming?" I turned to my shoulder, looking at him as he stood atop the hill. He nodded as he followed close.

Along the way, we didn't talk. Every time I turned to look at him, he would just look around the scenery. There wasn't really much to look at, to be honest. Well, coming from a guy that is very familiar with this certain path, it would be a one sided statement. Still, I still couldn't help but chuckle at his, somewhat, out of place behavior. Trying to fit in but can't no matter what. Is that what school does to a person?

We arrived at our house at twilight. Father working on the door. As expected, too. I came in through the window. It was, of course, wider than the door, so entry wasn't all that difficult. I overheard father sigh in disappointment as I entered the house. What can I do? The door is still under repair. I grabbed my sword from the side of the table and exited the house swiftly. I fitted the sheathe on my body and went up to the front, greeted by Marcus and father talking.

"So, you saw everything?" my father asked him. "I... uh... y-yes? I don't know what happened, though. I saw him, but I didn't understand a thing." Marcus replied. I walked up to them, my presence finally acknowledged. "What were you guys talking about?" "Ah, don't sweat the small stuff, son. Just come back as soon as you can, all right?" Father said, reassuringly as he patted me on the shoulder. My question wasn't answered. So I was a bit irritated. "Let's go?" Marcus asked me, pointing at the path behind him. "Yeah, let's..."

We strayed from the main path and unto the grassy fields. Back tracking would prove to be difficult. The sun has finally set, leaving both of us in the dark. "Hey, don't worry..." Marcus snaps his fingers, sparks of fire escaped his fingers, forming to a bright flame on his palm. Still, even if he was able to provide light, I doubt we'll be able to return to the main path before sunrise.

It was almost 2 hours since we embarked on our quest. At least, that's what it feels like. We've been walking a straight line through the tall grass for a while. Marcus should be careful. We don't want any grass fires. Especially at night. The prairie would be scorched by dawn, if that were to happen.

"Where is Professor Clovis, anyways?" I asked him, feeling a bit worried because of our situation. "I don't know..." he shrugged. "You gotta be kidding me..." I said under my hand, making sure he wouldn't hear it. There were so many things that were wrong in our situation. He could've at least got some clue on the whereabouts of his professor.

Just then, out in the darkness, we heard growls. "Wolves...?" he whispered to me, fear was evident in his voice. "No... this is... different..." I know how wolves growl at you. All too well, in fact. Rustling of grass, the handle of the sword in my hand, anything could pop out at any time.

Like a perfectly timed entrance, a block shaped creature revealed itself to us. Though we couldn't see it entirely, the glowing symbol on it's body was enough for us to identify it.

"A monster!? Headmaster Ceres didn't tell me about monsters here!" Marcus exclaimed, causing the creature to attack us full force. It threw itself unto us. I quick slice downward was enough to kill it. The remains turned to mush before dissipating in black smoke.

One hit.

I'm sure that wasn't all of it. It's too good to be true.

Only then, when one of them died, did all of them revealed themselves. Countless, different shaped monsters surrounded us. Their symbols glowed brighter, lighting the darkness around us. Marcus putted out his fire, filling the void beneath us.

They all attacked. I began slashing, first at nothing, then actually started hitting something. This was all lucky strikes in the dark. I moved forward, separating from Marcus. I could see bursts of flame coming from behind me. He was doing fine without me.

Another slash killed about 3 of them, another killed 2. Thrusting the sword in front of me, I hit nothing. I quickly spun around, my sword outstretched to my farthest point. I killed about 12.

I look behind me. The flames were beginning to be blocked by the monster's sheer number.

Only did we realize that we were simply outnumbered. We needed to back off. I threw my sword at Marcus' direction. Fortunately, the flying sword cleared a path for me to slip through. I dashed through it, my right arm was beginning to ache.

"Argh! Marcus! We need to run! Now!" I told him as I grabbed my sword. "Flamora!" he casted. A great fire came out from his palms and incinerated a whole bunch of them.

I really felt the heat crawl on my skin. It was the first time I felt the evening air being overpowered by flames. It was rather odd, for me

The spell he casted gave us a clear path for us to escape the amalgamation of monsters. I quickly grabbed his forearm and rushed out without hesitation. Everything felt slow, as if time slowed down.

Darkness, that was darker than black, were closing in on us. I closed my eyes. I was truly in the void. But my feet kept on running.

I refuse to open my eyes. I don't want to know my efforts were useless. But not now. Not yet.

"Roxas... Slow down!" I opened my eyes. I looked back. The monsters were nowhere to be found and I was running like it was my last day. The adrenaline, the fear, it all consumed me. Relief overflowed in me as I slowed down my run.

"You... Really... Saved us... Back there..." Marcus panted, his whole torso was drooping. Fatigue was evident in his eyes, his clothes soaking with sweat. I should've been merciful. If I were to assume, Marcus wasn't getting any physical activities down.

"Y-yeah... Sorry..." I said, in between long breaths. Even I was panting as well. I closed my eyes, trying to relax as my brain tried to grasp the situation we're both in.

I opened my eyes, this time I was greeted by the shining moonlight. Everything was clearer now. Even the mountains could be seen in the distance. As if by some odd stroke of luck, we were gifted by the world a chance to live and see through to our quest.

"Why, would you look at that..." Marcus said, looking at the bright, full moon hanging above us. It was beautiful, of course. I sheathed my sword as I continued to gaze upon the heavenly body. "Wow..." I mumbled.

As I stared at the moon for several seconds, I could see Marcus search his bag from the corner of my eye. "Where is it...? Where did I put that parchment...? Aha!" he joyously exclaimed after rummaging his stuff. "I knew we were on the right track! How could I forget!?" "Why? What does it say?" "Headmaster Ceres says that if there is an unusually large amount of monsters in an area, Aosta Clovis should be nearby."

That was an intriguing coincidence. "Professor Clovis was the reason why we had a barrier around the academy in the first place. He was technically a living magnet." Marcus explained whilst scratching his head. "Damn... Should've realised it sooner... Anyways, I think we know where we're going..." he said, pointing to where we originated.

I silently sighed, knowing I had to deal with that again. But, to be completely honest, it was also my fault I agreed to this in the first place. The mistake was on my part.

Unsheathing my sword in preparation, I glared at the monsters in the distance. I couldn't help but laugh a bit. I knew at this point forward, my life would be full of battles.

"AARRGGHHH!"

Just then, without much warning, my right arm ached. The pain was returning, more powerful than before. "H-help m-me!" I stuttered. Marcus didn't do anything, but watch. Watched as I writhed in agony. I curled up on the ground as the pain pulsated.

Then, I heard grumbling noises in the distance. They're beginning to come closer. Are those the monsters? I gazed at my left, my question answered by the hoard of monsters swarming towards us.

"Uh... Roxas?" Marcus worriedly asked me. I tried reaching for my sword. Then a wave of excruciating coursed through my veins. The only sight I was able to see was the escaping dark mist and crimson red sparks flying from the mark of the Eclipse. The cloth wrapping my arm was torn as power seeped from my arm, like rats clawing their way out from an uncomfortable situation. Sparks turned to bolts as the pain became more intense. Then, like always after the agony, everything faded to black.

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My body ached. I didn't know what time it was, didn't care where I ended up. The visions were blurry. Everything I saw, I couldn't understand. Even when I told my mind to try. During it all, however, I could feel my body. Pain and movement were cruelly synchronized. I felt the sword in my hand. I felt it slash through flesh and hard shells. I felt their blood splatter on my clothes. I felt everything as I lived the moment that I couldn't control.

My body felt alive. But the actions weren't my own. I was being played like a toy. Still, what choice did I have?

I had no choice.

No liberty over this burden in my life.

Just as I was about to lose hope, I slowly regained control over my body. I felt my mind being in my own control. I felt refreshed, yet all at the same time, I was extremely exhausted. I fell to my knees and held my sword tightly. "Marcus... You all right?" I asked him, my body was heavy. I could just barely even lift a finger. Meanwhile, Marcus had his face first on the dirt. His uniform was already covered in mud and grime. I could hear him breathe, which was a good sign. More or less, he passed out.

I tried standing up but my legs gave in. I was at the mercy of time. I don't even know if time was still running at this point.

I look around me. Puddles of darkness decorated the once lush grasslands around the both of us. I drove the sword to the ground and lifted myself up, the blade acting as a lever of some sorts. Luckily, I managed to find the strength for me to remain standing.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The struggle was finally over. These darkened grass were our witness, our proof of our victory. Yet, I still felt empty. Like our struggle was a meaningless act.

"What did we fight for again...?" my words were dull. They didn't hold any sense nor meaning. I looked down on Marcus, who was beginning to move. "Argghh..." he groaned in pain as he slowly lifted his body up from the ground. "What happened...?" he asked me. I simply shrugged. I didn't know what to reply. I was tired. I know he is, too. Once I reach my house, I'm pretty sure I'll just sleep on the entry way.

"Hmph!" he forced himself to stand. "Ha-rumph! Argh! Th-there we go..." he gasped as he tried his best to hold in the pain. I could tell from his face that we has in pain. I wanted to give him a hand, until I remembered father's words.

"H-he... Must be over there..." Marcus weakly said, pointing at the two hills in front of him. At this point, I forgot what we were tasked to do. Did this serve me any purpose? Was this battle my own choice?

That I do not know anymore...

I do not remember...

"Oof... Let's get a move on..." he said, his tone was surprisingly charismatic despite what happened.

I lifted my right arm to the sky and took a gander at it. The cloth was now gone. Dark mist was seeping from the mark, accompanied by a little bit of red electric sparks. A new symptom, I presume.

I pushed my hand forward, hoping to get any form of reaction. Mist shot out from the mark. The mist was living, as it crawled to the nearest living object, an injured monster. It then slowly engulfed the creature in it's darkness and began draining the life from it.

I felt it all. The dying breath of the monster to the moment where the life force flowed into me. Like drinking fresh mountain water, I felt renewed.

The entirety of my body was now lighter. For the second time, this curse was about as helpful as it could get. However, Marcus was still, unfortunately, in pain. "H-how... What did you do...?" he asked me, his voice cracking from, what I can guess, the throbbing pain.

"I do not know..." I said as I looked upon the mist, returning to the mark as if it was a part of me. It technically is a part of me. I just don't want it.

He fell to his knees, his body was weakened. I gave him a helping hand. To which, he gladly took. He swung his arm around me and helped him walk.

We saw a figure in the grass field, walking towards the both of us. I stopped walking half-way through. A cloaked man dressed in blue and marigold. Dark blue hair with strands of white hair at the sides of his head. A monocle on his right eye, hiding the glaring red eyes he possessed.

"P-professor Clovis..." Marcus said. "Hmph... I am professor no longer." he coldly said. With a wave of hand, dark energy escaped from it and went straight to Marcus. From a simple act, Marcus was healed. "Phew... Thank you, professor." he said, bowing his head down in respect. Aosta sighed. "Need I repeat myself?" Marcus' body stiffened as his head jolted up. He frantically shook his head. "I thank you for taking care of the monster problem of my lab. If there's nothing else for me, I shall be taking my leave." he said, diving straight to the point.

I got the vibe that he wasn't the type of person who talked alot. He was cold, emotionless and unnervingly calm. "Wait! Headmaster Ceres wanted to give this to you!" Marcus stepped in, rummaging his bag once more.

Aosta peered into him and turned an eye to me. I jolted up. He looked from top to bottom, examining me. He was especially aware of my right arm, to which he was attracted to. He looked away and turned his attention to Marcus.

He gave him a large seed. Or that's what it looked like. Aosta was a bit surprised, but accepted the offering nonetheless. "Tell Charle my thanks." without even saying a farewell, he turned his back towards us and left.

"What's up with him?" "Don't worry, Professor- er, I mean - Clovis isn't exactly, what you say, a social person." Maybe that's why he left the Academy. The people was his hindrance. But that's just my guess.

"Well, mission accomplished. Thanks alot, Roxas!" I turned an eye to Aosta before returning mine to Marcus "You're welc-" but before I could respond, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Lucky him.

Now I'm stuck in the middle of the Prairie. In the middle of the night for the Sun's sake.

Well, isn't this marvelous?


	5. Chapter 5: Inhuman

The last few weeks were utter chaos. Longtails were frequently appearing at our doorstep, day and night. We were barely given any time to rest. The Corona Village officials also had us working over the day, fixing whatever was destroyed in the last incident with Acelin. Took them long enough to fix the place. But, in doing so, we had to do the dirty work.

"Be patient, Roxas. This will all pass soon enough..." even with father's, miraculously helpful, words of kindness, it wasn't able to quench the flames of my anger. It was on the breaking point.

I wanted to destroy something. Really, really badly. For a person belonging to the lowest of the low class of people, my outbursts wouldn't matter. Even if I had a point. Even if there was any sort of sense, my opinion, and my existence as a whole, didn't matter to the world. Even if father and me died today, there were at least two people who would care. Aside from them, the world would continue as if we didn't exist in the first place.

These thoughts raced around my mind after a whole day of work. Most of the village houses were fixed thanks to us and a few other workers there. It was a fulfilling day, though one I did not dare to think was enjoyable. I threw myself on the nearest chair and slumped, breathing heavily as our work was over for now. I sighed loudly, knowing that tomorrow would be the same ordeal again. Father immediately fell asleep on the kitchen table, not even finding a comfortable position. I stood up and peered at the window. The fields were now brown and lifeless.

I almost forgot we were farmers, not some construction goons. I looked back and saw father's sickle at the counter of the kitchen. I contemplated the moment. The sun was shining on it's rusty blade, it's handle bound together by leather straps. Maybe it was time I finally learned how to farm. After all, all I ever knew about the field was planting seeds and pulling them all out after they've grown. Never have I ever thought about how they worked.

As me and father cooled down after exhausting all of our strength to physical labor, my hopes were lifted up as we had an unexpected visitor. As annoyed as I am thankful, I reluctantly waddled on over to the door.

"Is anyone home~?" asked a soft voice whilst knocking on the brand new door. Apparently father had the time to install a proper door knob, instead of just having the door be tied to a hook fastened on the wall. I grasped unto the knob and twisted it. It was a sound I wanted to indulge myself in for a while.

I opened the door, Saint Paula was standing in front of me. "Hello~!" she happily said as she jumped at me. I just stood there and caught her, bringing her into a welcoming hug. Any male would take the chance to sniff a woman's hair. Who wouldn't? Hers didn't have a specific smell, although it was pretty unique to her.

I broke off the hug. She looked a bit disappointed when I did, though. Fixing her hair, she spoke, this time her tone turned from a happy one to a serious one in the blink of an eye, "Anyways, Roxas dear, I need to talk to your father..." I pointed at father, who was napping on the table, without uttering a single word.

Saint Paula hastily walked towards him and proceeds to slam the table, causing my father to jump up, arms flailing about. "Althalos! We need to talk!". Déjà vu? A familiar phrase. It has been so long since a woman ever told that to father. I shook my head in silence, the world laughing at the heaviness compiling within my chest.

"P-Paula? Wh-what?" father asked, totally fazed and with his head in the air. He wiped away his drool on the right side of his face with his hand as Saint Paula slapped him. A slap that was heard even by the sheep outside.A slap that, once again, was familiar to my ears. I felt my body react to it. Like it's already an everyday experience that even an unfamiliar cause would trigger it. That made me even sadder. I walked to the nearest chair, comfortably sitting back and watch as their heated discussion unfolded before me.

"What am _I_ doing here?! To help you, you swine!" "W-well, go ahead!" "Thank you!" both of them yelled at each other. Like a couple. Like family.

I moved a bit forward as Saint Paula calmly took a seat in front of father. I wanna listen to them. "Listen, Althalos..." she turned towards me. She looked at me for a bit, then turned to father. Her words didn't quite reach me as well as I had hoped. Leaning forward didn't help either. Though I did catch one word from her. She emphasized the word, "Fast".

I drew back my chair, realizing the futility to eavesdrop on them. I sat back and watched them whisper. Whispering away whatever important business they're discussing right now. Most certainly about me. I am currently seventeen, old enough to know about personal family things.

I don't like growing up. But I don't like staying young, either. I want to know what runs in the family, what ruins it. I have the ability to understand.

But then, why? Why keep something from me? Do I lack the comprehension? Tell me. Please, world, the Sun, everyone, tell me why.

I sat there for a while. Not moving an inch. Thoughts flying everywhere. I was brought back in by a tap on my shoulder. Two taps, to be exact, from Saint Paula. She looks a bit, surprisingly, saddened. I stood up, wondering why she was down. I gave her my earnest look of concern before breaking our eye contact.

Permanently. Forever.

"Goodbye, dear Roxas..." she walked away, and slammed the door shut. I swear, I saw a single drop of her tears fall on the floor. I tried to reach out for her, but the shock from the farewell was all too much for me to handle.

Her goodbye was all too sudden. I don't get it. Why? I don't even want to bother asking, anymore. I turned around to see my father, holding a sickle in his hand. "Fathe-" "Come, child. We have the field to plant...". He cut me off. He walked right past me. Without even giving me a glance.

He, like Saint Paula, slammed the door shut, breaking the door and leaving the house a bit less stable than it was before. I gently opened the door and grabbed the family scythe on the way out. The Sun blinded me once I opened the door. The heat was overwhelming that I could almost taste the drought in the air.

Father was starting to cut the weeds off at the far corner of the field, making way for fresh seeds to be planted. The sector nearest to me had grass growing wildly from left to right, which lead me to believe he wanted me to start here and continue until the field was weed free.

I grasped the scythe in both hands, it's weight was something I was accustomed to by now. Raising the blade over my head, I slash through the tall grass. Leaves flew through the air, the scent of cut grass hung in the air like summer daffodils. The thought of the battlefield immediately invaded my mind like an unnatural plague. Blood and limbs torn apart, painting the dirt as if it was a cruel artist's canvas.

My hands were shaking, cold sweat dripped from my face as I continued to tightly hold on to the scythe. I sliced through again. And again. And again. Until everything was barren. Through visions of war, I persevered. The task had to be done. I wouldn't be alive without it. Hacking through nature's gifts to grow new ones. Killing to be remade for a new purpose. Like a cliched paradox.

Father was finishing up his part of the work. He wiped off the sweat with the collar of his shirt and walked towards the door. I followed. As he threw the sickle on the storage box, he sat down and began unraveling a package. A small, wooden box, wrapped in cloth with the sign of the sun, a staple symbol around the Sun Capitol. I carefully slid in the family scythe in the box and turned to father, who was already searching the insides of the box.

In it, had a wooden container. Inside the container were seeds. "These are pumpkin seeds. A customer requested it..." he said, his words containing no sort of emotion. No feelings were conveyed. I nodded. "Are pumpkin seeds always like that...?" I raised a question. There were a lot of inconsistencies with these particular set of seeds. "Yes, they are..." they didn't look like it. I know pumpkin seeds by heart. I would argue with him, though, but I know he knows these things more than I. And considering the tense air around us, I didn't dare to object.

He held out the small box to me. "Plant these today. I need to go somewhere..." before I could even try to speak up, he slid out the scythe and went inside the house, as if he's trying his best to ignore me. I, on the other hand, could only watch as he succeeded in doing so.

Sometimes, I ask myself, "Why are you such a coward?". Even I wasn't sure about my answer. It's ironic, really.

I really can't say I don't care. He's been a good father recently and I want it to last. But, as he himself told me long, long ago, "Good things come to an end, Roxas.".

At the back of my mind, I didn't want this decent life to end as soon as it started. This was also the most tame void season I had all my life. I want to see if there were any meaningful changes after this phase. Like a blessing from above, the Sun gave me the will to carry on.

I reached out for the rake in the box. As soon as my finger touched it, the whole house was shaken. I looked into the window. I only saw black dust. Nothing was ever visible, right now.

I decide to back away. I'm sure father has a good explanation for this. I overlooked the field once more before beginning to plant the pumpkin seeds.

During all this time, noise and smoke was coming from the house, all the while making me quite anxious with each seed buried in the soil.

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"What do you mean you're sending me to Totemtaff Ridge?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing from him. It was ridiculous enough that I had to go alone, but I am to kill a golem there? "For what purpose, father!?" I angrily said as I felt my face heating up.

I disliked any purposeless violence. It is designed as a mean to an end, not for sport. Not for any entertainment purpose, for that matter.

"Your mother had a precious charm. When we were still young, your mother and I used to go to Totemtaff Ridge all the time. We would play with all the golems, run away from bears, exploring the wonderful landscape..." he explained. For a while, I saw him smile. Just a tiny bit. That lightened up my mood. Only a little bit, as well. "Then, we had an accident and lost her charm from there. I want you to find it..." he continued. Did I say the killing part was ridiculous? I meant this one request was ridiculous enough on it's own. "What makes you think I could find it today?!" my voice just shat out right from me, like a snake lunging to it's prey. Like an enraged monarch, he stood up. Even though I was 17, he was still taller than me. Even when he had his left leg cut off. "Sit down, boy!" he shouted back. There was no point in arguing. Any points you throw at him will just make him angrier. He's as dense as a rock. " _ahem_ I said, you're going to find her charm. Here..." he reached out for a piece of parchment from the kitchen table and handed it over to me. "It looks like that. Remember it well, boy..."

Apparently, this was the thing that father was looking for. More or less, this was really old, so he had to move most of the items out of the way. The broken chairs and the torn pages around me confirmed it. I'm surprised that he even manage to find it. Especially with all this rubbish going around our house...

The charm looked like a mess, yet it was captivating. This was, after all, a symbol of my parent's love. A mesh of artifacts from the continents different regions. I could tell that mother was very fond of this. To think that she would lose such a precious item was also another questionable feat, but was already too late.

"It's all made from the wood from Maple Lake, so it's easy to identify..." "I see..." "Now, go. I need to attend to something else that is more important." he said, dismissively. I didn't like this change. But, how should I know what caused this? Father seemed distant now. He held no more emotions, only words that force you to act upon his will. Like a monarch.

Father darted out of the room, leaving me in the middle of the mess he made. "I guess I have to clean this too, huh?" I said, though my words didn't reach father's ears. All of the items around me are both significant and useless. Significant to father, useless to me. I mean, there's a carving of a snake here. I remember him gifting this to me when I was a child during his times as a traveler. He would always bring something home. Now, all the items he brought me are right in front of me.

Dammit... Maybe I took him for granted? That's one of the most probable reasons he might be upset. The more I push away all the junk in one place, my hands were already soaked wet. It was not from sweat, however. That I could tell from only feeling my body. It wasn't hot, either. I brought up my hand to my nose and took a sniff. "Wait..." my mind was processing the distinct scent. "...these are tears."

Was he reminiscing?

What sort of madman would take out everything in his possession and throw it to the ground, knowing all of these things meant something to him? At this point, I was scratching my head. Frustrated on how all these didn't make much sense. Well, whatever. I'll just go to Totemtaff by tomorrow's early light...

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Somehow, I felt an underlying pain on the top of my head. It wasn't there, before. It felt like many bugs were trying to gnaw into my brain. My right hand was numb. Yet I could still feel the throbbing pain coming from the mark. The ground beneath me wasn't what I usually felt. Something was awfully different.

I slowly opened my eyes, the visions I saw weren't coherent as I wished them to be. Though, I forced myself up. My hands touched grass as I rubbed off the drowsiness in my eyes. Closing my eyes once more, my vision became clearer.

The same blue sky hung above me, like a spider over it's trapped prey. The clouds weren't present, and the Sun was brighter than usual.

Where am I?

I look around. It was the same scenery. The same place, at the same exact time. The position of the Sun wasn't lying.

Same tree...

Same hill...

Same damn carvings...

"Ugh..." I weakly stood up. I limped towards the tree, letting the trunk of the tree catch my body. The pain in my head could easily outclass both the numbness and body ache that I am experiencing right now.

"Where is my...?" My legs suddenly regained their strength out of nowhere. I circled around the entirety of the tree, my subconsciousness guiding my body to whatever task it had it to do. Soon, with eyes closed, my hands gripped my own scabbard.

My eyes sharply opened up as I pulled out the blade from the sheathe with my right hand. Now, why would this stolen sword be the one that would calm me down?

My breaths became lighter, so did my head. The sword siphoning the pain away. What the sword did, felt like a dream. But it really was happening right in front of my eyes. The mark glowed brightly as all this happened.

The pain was now gone, and I could finally think straight. I inhaled deeply, renewing my focus. I took a gander at my surroundings.

"So... This is where he left me, huh?". To think it was the place where me and mother made the most memories. Is he trying to be cruel? If so, then why now? These memories aren't serving me well, today.

I sighed. These question will be answered, won't they? I do hope so.

I walked around the tree, hoping to find anything he left behind for me. Luckily for me, there was a bag. My bag, to be specific. I picked it up from the grass and patted away the dirt that was on it. It felt heavier. I opened it up and looked inside. The inside was filled to the brim with rations. Plentiful to say the least.

He knew I would be taking my time in Totemtaff. He must've realized that the task he gave me was horrible. As cold as he was these past hours, he still had some consideration left in the depths of his heart. Still, though, throwing me out in the open like this? I would've been eaten by mongrels or had my throat slit during my power nap. Even though this _is_ the "Paradise" Prairie, danger lurks in any corner. Not just here. Danger is everywhere, given if you're careful or not. Nevertheless, these supplies are a great help. These rations would last me 2 months if done right, believe it or not.

I swung the bag full of food above my shoulder after strapping the sword unto my body, letting both objects hang onto me like dangling earrings.

I look up at the sky. The bluish hue was overwhelming, . The Sun was letting out a yellowish hue. It was definitely noon. Making my way down the hill, I stopped on the path and turned my head to the right. The direction to our home, our so called "sanctuary".

I walked opposite to that, however. To the West, where Tottemtaff is...

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"If there was a way to end all things, would you be the one to do it? Or would you wait for somebody else to do it for you?" I questioned myself as I walked rather slowly along the path. At this point, I was asking myself various questions.

I am not insane. That I know well enough. Insanity is where morals and common sense disappear. You can still think, though, but what you're thinking about couldn't be any more wrong. That's insanity for me.

As I continued to ask questions, to which no one but myself could answer, I saw a Kalta napping on the path. I hurriedly made my way to it. Finally getting some long awaited interaction. Being alone isn't good for you, after all.

The Kalta itself was, surprisingly, clean and is dressed with all sorts of jewels and what not. A pet, more or less. A giant pet, if I may add.

"Who would leave you here, fella?" I said, gently caressing it's huge body. The skin is so smooth, like it's been washed repeatedly without relenting. It groaned. But it wasn't a groan of pain. It stood up and positioned itself right in front of me. The jewels on it's shell were clanging loudly. It dropped down immediately afterwards, rolled to the side and exposed it's belly, signifying me to continue caressing it.

Without anything else to do, I obliged. It happily rustled as it shook it's entire body. I looked around, the Sun was drawing to the West. It wasn't there yet, however. About a few more hours and it would be kissing the horizon.

 _woof! woof!_

Familiar barks echoed through the air. As it announced earlier, a small, white haired wolf appeared out of nowhere. I'm guessing it came from the prairie. Lost cub maybe?

"Why, hello there, friend? Lost?" I giggled as I greeted the little guy. It was playful. Bouncing and running around with so much vigor to the point where I envy it. Huh, isn't this a pretty sight? Two animals huddled with me under the warms rays of the Sun.

Never in my life was I able to like animals. Father always used to skin everything that came our way. He would always hang the skins on the walls. Mother would always take them down, however. She couldn't bear to see such precious creatures be flayed for pride. But, ever since she left us, the walls are now covered with skins.

But for some odd, rather nonsensical reason, he doesn't like to kill them. He would give me the knives and ordered me to kill. Like a puppet. Being taught to spare no quarter, to beasts of all sizes.

Sometimes, I loathe my old man's teachings...

"Koll! Hold up!" a voice yelled in distance. It was a voice I could recognize. Although my mind didn't quite cooperate with me as well as I'd hoped. I stood up, waiting for whoever was coming my way. The moment I saw her cat ears, however, my memory was immediately jogged.

"Y-you!?" she pointed me, surprised she met me here. I'm surprised she even remembered me. "So the little guy's name is Koll?" I asked, trying to at least make this less of a hassle.

I swear if she brings out a knife, I'll definitely be upset about this whole ordeal.

"Yep!" she chirped as Koll ran around her legs. "Hey, wait a minute!" her expression immediately turned bitter. "You're not getting away! Were you trying to steal from us!?" "Uh... N-no?" "Aha! So you were stealing! Hand it over!" "I think I specifically said that I didn-EEEK!" she threw a knife at me. If I didn't dodge that one small knife, my heart would've been skewered. I would've died for sure.

It has been a few months since my last encounter with this feisty cat-eared demihuman. To think she used to be so bad at throwing knives since then, I have to applaud her for her persistence. I would right now, but then she's trying to kill me.

"Die!" she cried out as she jumped into the air and threw more knives. More than I could count. Is this supposed to be fair!? Eyeing the falling knives, I placed my hand on the hilt. As if by some magical mean, I slashed downwards, stopping the knives from reaching me. Within the chaos of it all, I could see her shocked expression.

"Impossible!" I heard her mutter under her hand. I suppose she's been practicing this technique for a while. "Huh, what do you know..." I smile, staring at my sword. "The next attack will surely end you! AAAAHHHH-" "WAIT, KITTYEYES!" a burly voice stopped her at the last second. "Brother Roger!" her head perked up, looking a lot more excited and tame. Like a kitten. "Stop! This man saved me, remember?" "B-but! B-brother Roger!" "No buts, Kittyeyes. We must show him our gratitude..."

The murderer, the thief, the bandit, the so called womanizer, the most wanted man in all of Vendacti, Roger Acelin approached the Kalta. Roger thrusts his giant sword into the ground, firmly placing it in place before whispering to the magnificent animal. The beast swung it's body, making it stand on all fours again. He reached for a bag hidden from all the jewels of the beast and reached inside. "Here, a long, overdue thank you." he said, tossing me an elixir. "W-wait! Isn't this-!?" "Yeah, it's from her all right." he calmly retorted. Grasping the elixir tightly, I angrily hissed at him, "You stole this!?", he simply nodded. There wasn't any point crying over spilled milk. The deed was already done. I could try to return it to her, but then I need it more than she does. "Well? You did save me. Might as well..." he pulled the sword effortlessly from the dirt and approached me. He patted me on the shoulder before walking away.

"Without you, I think I would've destroyed the entire village..." he said. My heart sank a bit when he told me that. The destruction done to the village was his evidence. It wasn't believable that one man would cause that much mayhem in a short amount of time.

But there wasn't a living soul alive to tell the tale, was there?

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"Hmm... So you and me can be called the same...?" Roger pondered as he took a drink from his canteen. Kittyeyes, petting Koll on her lap, was extremely perplexed at my explanation.

The three of us (er... Five of us?) set up camp near the main path to Totemtaff. I figured I should stay with them for one night only. I had to get to Totemtaff as soon as I could possibly can and a day's worth of journey would be enough for me to reach the borders.

In the meantime, however, I explained to both of them what happened during that day. Roger seems to understand. I was surprised by this. To think this was the man the whole continent wanted, dead or alive, behind bars.

"Brother Roger~ Explain it to meee~!" Kittyeyes wept. She couldn't wrap her head around my story. Roger chuckled a bit, leaned forward and whispered to her for a moment. All the while I could hear the crackling of firewood and the stars looming above the night sky.

This was a sight I rarely see in my life. Let alone experience it for myself. Being a child of a farmer really has it's downsides. No one would want to be your friend. It really hurts, walking alone every twilight.

"So, Roxas..." Roger pulled from their unheard exchange and turned to me. "Was your grandfather bitten by a monster by any chance?" "To tell you the truth, I have no idea..."

Indeed, I had no idea. The only thing I know of my grandpop was his name. Xerxes Von Zayne. Everything else was shrouded in mystery. Father wouldn't talk about it. "Your grandfather and I aren't exactly the two best of pairs..." he said.

If history repeats itself, then when would it start repeating itself?

"Ah, well, I see..." he nodded silently as he threw the canteen to Koll, who caught it mid-air and placed it near the Kalta, who was sleeping soundly during our discussion. Man, how coordinated are these guys?

Kittyeyes yawned, rather loudly too. Almost choked me while drinking my own water. "Sleepy?" Roger asked her. Kittyeyes nodded tiredly, rubbing her eyes. She stood up and threw herself at the Kalta, falling asleep in an instant. "Hehe... I'm sometimes jealous of her..." Roger mumbled as I barely managed to catch the words out of his mouth. "Oh, how come?" my mouth responded as I reached for my blade. "Not everyone can get a good night's sleep as well as her. I wish I could be like her..."

I lifted up my eyes a bit, looking at him. I saw his mouth become crooked slightly. Is this guy in love with her? Maybe. Can't just be jumping to conclusions now, Roxas. I gotta learn.

Roger stood up and laid down beside her. I took my whetstone, one that I bought from a high end vendor from Corona, and began sharpening my sword.

I did a few more strokes. The edge of the blade sliding with the stone was making sparks and generated a satisfying sound. In a minute or two, the sword was as good as new. I couldn't even believe that it was a bit dull a few moments ago.

It was a fine whetstone. The vendor _did_ tell me his products doesn't disappoint. Well, now I know he's not lying about this. Although the stone is good, the price for it was questionable. At best. However, the price was already paid and here I am, sitting underneath the starry sky. A sword and stone in both hands.

I carefully slid the blade back into it's sheathe and placed the scabbard behind the wood log I'm sitting on. I stood up and make my way to the nearby lake. I figured it was good to wash before sleeping.

As I walked towards the lake, I saw the reflection of the moon. The crescent shape only provided little than it did the past months. The moon's light reflecting upon the water surface is dreamlike, making me feel drowsy. I knelt on the shore, reached down and splashed some water on my face.

 _rustle rustle_

"Grrngaaaaarrggg!" I heard a voice. It wasn't a mistake that the voice wasn't human. Neither it was a beast nor monster. It was like a cry. A cry to cease existing. It was saddening to hear, altogether.

I tip-toed to where the it came from. Careful to not make any sound. "Stand down..." ordered a familiar voice. Then followed a wail, "GNNNAAAAARRRRRGGGGggggg...". It was in pain. Was. Killed, I suppose.

"There's another person here..." the blades of grass were sliced. Revealing me and the assailant of that unknown being. "You..." Aosta Clovis glared at me. Beside him was a monster. Or, how do I put it to words? A thing made _from_ monster parts. It was twitching, shocked most likely. Literally.

I stood there, trying to stand my ground. His glare was really sharp. Almost as if he lacked the proper emotions to function like a normal human being.

"We meet again. I would like to experiment on you..." he bluntly said. With a quick snap of his fingers, he lifted that _thing_ with magic. Black hands emerging from the pools of darkness below his feet held the poor thing in place. It looked human. Close to being human, at least. Then pulled it into the abyss.

"I apologize for the inconvenience. Now, I shall take you back..." again, lacking any sort of emotion in both words and actions.

He slowly walked towards me. Rather calmly, too. The grass sounding his approach made chills run up my spine.

I look down. My feet were submerged in the black pool.

This isn't good.

I immediately jumped backwards, just in time to dodge the black arm that was supposed to slash at me.

"Tch!" he pointed his finger at me. Like obedient dogs, the arms swarmed me. I stepped to the left, the arms went crashing down like a stack of wheat on a fresh morning.

"CLOVIS!"

In just the nick of time, Roger came to save my skin. I would've simply ran, though. But I know I wouldn't last with that tactic. Even if I was light as a feather, it wouldn't matter. I know I'm fit but I'm not _that_ fit, all right?

"Back off!" he roared as he slammed his broadsword to the ground, emitting shockwaves that knocked Aosta back a few meters. A slam so powerful that it caused winds. Even after that, the sword he wields remains unbroken.

Even when not enraged, Roger was still a force to be reckoned with. Inhumane strength. Makes sense because he is no longer human. He just lives like one. A shell with a conscience for a monster lurking within.

With a wave of his hand, Aosta withdrew the darkness and simply patted his cloak and sighed. "I guess it can't be helped..." he turned his back on us, looking quite disappointed. "Monster do, after all, look out for each other..." the wind howled as he said his cold words. He walked away, the black pool following him like an obedient dog.

I need not repeat what I say, though. Aosta Clovis simply is who he is. A mage. More or less.

I turned to Roger, who was panting heavily. He was shaking, too. "Hey, you cold?"

He took a moment. Still panting. "No... I'm just..." he fell to his knees. Desperately trying to stand up with the assistance of his sword. I quickly went over and helped him up. "T-thanks..." "Hey! Don't push yourself..." "Heh, old habits die hard..." he said.

I carried him back to the camp to rest. Kittyeyes was sleeping soundly as Roger described her to be. Koll was sleeping beside her, his belly fully exposed. I gently put Roger down, just beside the three of them.

I took a step back, admiring the sight I have before my eyes. They're like a family, now.

It was...

Beautiful, to say the least.

As I laid down on the grass, my head resting on the Kalta's soft underside, my thoughts were once again racing out of me. Like a river flowing surely to the sea, they all came out of me. Included what Aosta told us.

If we were not human, then we would be dead, right? To live our lives to the fullest and to the best of our abilities is what makes us humans, well, humans. Even Aosta, as emotionless as he may be, is considered human.

Because he has the tendency to do what he wants. Because he can choose. He can decide.

Roger, Kittyeyes, and I can, too.

So...


	6. Chapter 6: Banquet of Ruination

Ah...

What do we have here?

I stand in the middle of a void. I cannot see beyond the darkness, of course. The floor beneath me was checkered, black and white. I could only see the area around me, it was like a candle hanging above my head. Giving light. Although I was in the darkness, I still felt a tiny bit safe. Safer than I was on Vendacti.

Strange, given that Vendacti was my home. The only world I ever knew. Of course, I didn't know everything. What lied outside of Paradise Prairie was either written on faded pieces of paper or was entirely shrouded in mystery.

In front of me are two doors. They weren't attached to walls, they were just there. Lone doors that lead to nowhere.

Or so I thought...

As people would, I was struck with curiosity. However, I can't help but doubt the danger it would provide.

The two doors were very contrasting. One was made of wood, just like our home's door. The other one was made of the finest materials, decorated with gems and all. It was tempting to open the good looking one, though. I mean, who wouldn't?

I walked up to it, my hands cold to the touch. I was having cold feet. Though unaware of what I should be anxious about.

Who knows? Maybe something come out and try to kill me here. That is, of course, just one of many possibilities.

This is not real.

But as foolish as I could get, I opened the door gently.

I had to harbor no regrets. I know where I am. It's just my active imagination. I wish it was.

If there was some force outside reality, would it be here? Thoughts and imagination aren't considered reality, right? Imagination is but the recreation of images from memory. Memories gained from experiencing life. A life we're forced to live and make do of.

I think that's why we have nightmares, sometimes...

The door flew open, even though I tried my very best to open it as gently as I could. Nevertheless, light escaped from the door. The very light engulfed the void behind me.

Walking forward, I slowly but surely made my way in. I expected myself to enter nothing. However, reality isn't at play here. At the back of my mind, I knew there was something amidst.

The blinding light lasted for about a minute or so, before dissipating and making the world around me visible once more. I was in a bedroom. A grand one, at that. One huge bed in the middle of the room, right next to a bejeweled table and a marble fireplace. The marble work was about as good as it could possibly get. Saying it was "good", however, would be a massive understatement. The amount of professionalism and finesse in that work alone made even me, one who had no interest in stone works whatsoever, stop to look in awe. The windows are carved out of ebony and painted with bright gold patterns. Much like drops from the Sun itself, flowing through like blood through veins. The gigantic bed in the middle of the room was the real kicker. The mattress, which is comfortable even from the mere sight of it, was designed with patterns of red and gold. That bed would hold up to 6 people from the looks of it. Curtains were put up for maximum privacy. The room's minor furniture weren't pushovers when it came to their quality either. The finest wood works were evident in the tables and chairs. The walls were painted with such precision that it almost seemed that the entire room was a masterpiece. A work of art that one one could ever, and I mean it, _ever_ rival.

Surely, this wasn't an ordinary room. It was far too elegant and classy for a mere middleman but far too expensive for a ordinary nobleman. As I looked around the room, it was clear to me that this was a royal bedroom. But for whom? The wall opposite the bed hung a picture frame. Larger than those ordinary picture frames. No, _much larger_ , in fact. It depicted a young man with short, shining blonde hair and two pairs of marvelous green eyes, smiling kindly. Resting on his head, or rather behind his head, was the crown of the Kingdom of the Sun.

"Is that...?" I didn't believe a second of it. Even if this was truly a dream, I wouldn't believe it. Not one bit. If this was the future, then it would be a lie. I don't trust myself to be this audacious to waltz into a royal bedroom. Let alone have the courage to enter the castle itself. "I see you've taken time to behold in my father's greatness, Roxas..." said a voice. The same, charming voice that pulled my heart strings. Maybe, this is the same dream. The dream clouded in mystery. "I guess that's what it is, my sunshine..." I said, feeling my body build up with confidence. Sunshine? I never heard that calling before. A pet name, I'd assume. I wouldn't call anyone that, not that there's anyone to be called that anyways.

This is exactly what I felt before. It's like a theater for one. A personal theater. Although I doubt that this dream is my own memory. I doubt it's a memory. If it wasn't a memory, then a vision? A vision of what? The future? If all of these events are a set of predetermined paths, what would it take for me to change all of it? If this is a path that requires intense decision making, what would that take also? They say that the future is ours to take. If so, then this future is but a dream. Truly, never doubting, literally and metaphorically, unchangeable, merely, a dream. One I cannot think could happen in the first place.

She giggles sweetly. I took a deep breath, the sound of her just released all the tension in my body. It was, as if, she brought heaven with her. Or rather, she _is_ heaven itself. Now I wonder, who is this person? A person that truly wins me over every single time. Exactly two times.

I turn around. The door that was supposed to be the door that allowed me entry to this room has now vanished. Now, it has been replaced by a grander door. A bit taller than what it used to be, but only by a bit. Just a subtle difference in height was all it was. The door that lead to this chamber had steel works engraved into it. The motifs imitated that of the Sun's rays. These designs are here for a reason, after all. They say if there are any patterns in the house in honor of the Sun, you'll be blessed.

This world's fate was changed by one man with a damn spear in hand. Such bravado needed to be recognized. It wasn't optional. It was _required_. And who knows if that ever happened. The only ones who know are dead. And no one knows how to bring back the dead. If there was, it would be a cheap imitation of immortality. Even if one had immortality, his existence would be that of a god. If everyone were gods, then who would we worship? Who would we crown as our king? And who would be superior than us?

Slow footsteps echoed through the darkened hall, thumping loudly as she got closer. With each passing thud, my heart beat resonated with it. Everything about her, whoever this is, must be a paradigm of utter perfection. Like a glove made for me, and me only. I felt my mouth form a small smile. My heart beats faster as I walked forward.

Just as her blonde hair came into my view...

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"Roxas? Roxas!? ROXAS!" a pair of gloved hands waved frantically in front of me. Still, my mind merely ignored them as I continued to stare into space. "Huh? What-" "Nyaaa~! Finally! You were spacing out!" Kittyeyes yawned and stretched, wearing a worried but irritated look of her face. Only then did I realize where I was.

It was morning. It was a few hours after dawn, so the Sun was still fairly cool. Roger was at the helm, near the neck, holding the reigns in his hands. The kalta was moving quite fast, despite of it being a large beast and all. Koll was playfully running behind us, barking and howling all the way.

I was no where near the border to Totemtaff Ridge. It was still a 3 day journey there. I decided to go along with them. I have all the time to kill, after all. Or at least, that's what I like to think, anyways. On a side note, what I consider as a "time limit" would be amount of food I have left. Considering most of these are already cooked, I don't have much time left until they all go rotten. I won't be surprised if they all go bad by the time I reach Totemtaff. I could go and ask them for food, but that would be jumping the gun a little too much. It would be too early to call these guys my friends. Although, we _did_ bond a bit last night, talked about some personal stuff, but I still doubt that would be enough. Though it isn't bad to try.

"Hey, Roxas!" Roger said in a voice that was higher than the norm. I guess he wanted me to hear him the first time. I don't mind. It _is_ frustrating for people to not hear you. "Yeah!?" I replied in the same fashion. "You going to Totemtaff, right?" this time, it was normal. He did catch a glimpse of Kittyeyes folding her ears down. "Uh-huh. Yeah." I nodded. "You don't mind if we stop by Corona, do you?". Those words rung in my head for a good while.

Corona Village...

It has been only a day since my departure. If father sees me, I might as well be dead meat. Well, as dead as one could possibly get. It would be a massive disappointment if he saw me the day after he left me under that damned tree. An act of cowardice is what he would think. I have disappointed him enough.

"I mean, there's no problem of the sort." I lied. "Great!" Roger immediately whipped the reigns as the beast reared on it's hind legs. This took me by surprise. Even more so when Kittyeyes was just sitting lazily while I was hanging on for my dear life. "Woah, woah, woah! What the-!" I yelped. It was a matter of time when it was back on all it's fours. Roger chuckled anxiously. "Hehehe, sorry about that..." he said, scratching the back of his head. "Anyways..." he whipped them again. "To Corona!" the beast heard his command as it turned around. "Koooooll~" Kittyeyes called him as the dog leapt with all it's might to her lap. There, he happily rolled around as she petted him ferociously. "Who's a good boy, nya~?" Koll barked in response, tongue out. "Hold on tight, fellas!" Roger warned us. Following that was an extremely fast Kalta, dashing through the region without much effort. Within what felt like mere seconds, we were at a hill, overlooking the village. The place looks so lively when viewed from above. I just wonder what makes a destruction of one make all of the people flock around it...

Then the question struck me in the head like a boomshroom in it's respective season. "Why are we here again?" I asked. I didn't expect them to answer immediately. I got off the Kalta and got my sword that was strapped unto it's side. Then, I felt a hand grasp my left shoulder. It was Roger. "We're here to make amends..."

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At first, I was extremely skeptical. Not only did the wanted poster on the board add the crime "destruction of a town" but the bounty got up by a whopping 10000 Curren. It was like the Kingdom of Sun had enough of his nonsense for once. For years, this very man was wanted in all of the corners of Vendacti. Even the, whatchamacallit, the Desert Nobles, was it? Even they had thirsted for Acelin's blood.

However, it was all just an exaggerated fantasy.

He is literally standing where he punched me in the gut a few months ago, praying to the Sun that the people of Corona would accept him with open arms. Me, Kittyeyes, and Koll could only watch from afar how this would turn out. "How the hell can he do this without fear!?" I said under my breath, making sure only Kittyeyes would hear me as we were standing in the middle of a crowd. "I don't know..." she said, not batting an eye to me. "But I do know this..." she leaned forward, her lips close to my ear. "He's been doing this to all those he harmed, nya~" Koll was as intelligent as a dog could be and behaved as the tension in the air got more evident the more Roger pleaded the townspeople.

I looked at Kittyeyes whose ears are flopped down, her eyes clenched tightly and bit her lip. A trickle of blood came out from her bite as her own fang was driven into her lip in prayer. Countless times, she said. From the looks of it, it only seems like he was only been doing this recently. If all the other times Roger's pleas were successful, the both of them would've had the confidence to hear him out. However, their heads bowed down. as if they themselves did his sins. It wasn't long until the crowd finally moved. I perked my head above the mesh of people to see what was going on.

What followed was something extraordinary. Almost unbelievable, mind you.

An old woman walked up to the kneeling bandit. Her back was towards me, so I can't really see her face at all. Even if I could, there was no point since she was also wearing a hood. She reached into her basket and brought out a fruit. I couldn't see what it was, so I had to guess it was something on the sweeter end of the spectrum. "Young man, take this fruit..." she said. The whole crowd was bewildered. Murmurs and gossips were thrown left and right as Kittyeyes and Koll remained silent, praying that the world is as forgiving as they hoped. "R-really?" Roger said as he slowly raised his head to look at the old woman. He reached out for the yellowish green fruit and took it. "Now, you're like this unripe fruit, young man." "How come?" "You see, if you wait long enough for the fruit, even when it's separated from the very tree it came from, it will become as good as one that wasn't separated from the tree." Even with that explanation, Roger still didn't understand. It would have to be the shock from her acceptance that his train of thought couldn't function very well. "Ah, still no clue? Hahaha... One day, young man. One day..." then, without giving a proper resolution, she walked away. With her slow walk, I caught a glimpse of a faint, weak smile plastered on her wrinkly face.

Then, like moths flying towards a bright, soul infused lamp, people were flocking around Roger. People who were devastated. People who were hurt. People who disliked and loathed the man with all their heart, came to him. I guess the last line was a bit of an over exaggeration. All of these people were forgiving him. "Nyaaaaa~!" Kittyeyes jumped joyously as she ran towards him. It was a lovely sight. Koll, on the other hand, was rubbing his body on my legs, seeking attention. I knelt down. "So, you want me to carry you?" Koll barked in agreement, jumping around excitedly as if he was waiting for this his whole life. I picked up the cuddly puppy and cradled him in my arms and went to Roger, who was huddled in by the storming crowd.

I could only laugh at Kittyeyes' comical attempts at reaching out to the one armed man. It was like watching a fly continuously bump into a glass pane, thinking that there was no glass in the first place. Regardless, her tenacity and perseverance was also praise worthy. From the looks of it, people were giving their deepest apologies to Roger. Although, it wasn't as orderly as I had imagined.

A more few minutes of screaming, cries, and even laughter, all was well and good. "Wow, that was... unexpected." "You tell me. That took a while." Roger did nothing but accept my remark. "So, what now?" I asked the both of them, who seem to be out of ideas then. I wanted to throw out that question the moment all went into chaos. I never got the opportunity until much later. "I..." both me and Kittyeyes stared at him, waiting for a proper answer. Despite this, however, we stopped at a dead end, "...don't know..." he finished. I handed Koll over to Kittyeyes, who I had in my arms the entire time. "Aha!" Roger pointed his finger to the sky, his entirety showing off an aura of inspiration. "How about we throw the entire village a feast?" The idea wasn't half bad, though. I mean, this was about to be my first feast of my entire life. It was pretty exciting to think about. Considering all my life the food I had was at the same table. I never had food outside, neither had I food anywhere else but bite sized pieces. It was either that table, or there was no food at all. The problem was if we had any means to throw a feast in the first place.

I had to stop and think. The first way was if we sold all of the jewels they had on the kalta. And even then, the amount of food we could afford wouldn't be enough to encompass all of Corona. It would barely even fit. Worse case, it wouldn't even fit at all. And even then, people would be greedy enough to grab more than their share of the fill. That would suck for the kind hearted people. The second was asking the people for help. Although I think succeeding in making all of the townsfolk forgive Roger is a _huge_ step in atonement, I doubt that they would agree to such a thing immediately after giving him what he needed. Again, it would be jumping the gun too early and may backfire horribly. And the last option would be to rob. Ironic, no? That would cover everything well, from the table to the chairs, to the food, and even aesthetics. However, though. In the event that we are caught red handed, there would be absolutely no reason for us to come back to this village ever again.

As these thoughts ran around my head, as I figured out the best possible option, I noticed that I strayed a little too far from the group. I turn around to see both Kittyeyes and Koll both jumping in joy and, possibly, excitement. I hastened my pace to catch up to them. "Roxas! Where had you gone off to?" "I walked while thinking but never mind that... How will we throw this gigantic feast in Corona?" "Oh! I got that covered!" Roger said, rather gleefully too, as he reached in his pocket. "Aha!" he exclaimed as he presumably got what he was looking for. He pulled out an extremely shiny gem rock. I think that's what it looks like. "With this, we'll be able to afford a week's worth of food for everyone!" Kittyeyes cut in before I could even say a word. "Nyyaaaa~ Exactly! Not only that, we can also shop for clothes and-" "Woah, woah, woah, slow down there. Don't get too worked up. A golem's gem has it's limits." "A golem's gem? Where did you get that?" I asked Roger. The rock looked very delicate as it is beautiful. It had a shiny crimson red coloration that didn't have a smudge on it, even if you took the time to look at it from every possible angle. It truly was precious. "Hold on a sec, where exactly are we going to sell this?" I simply watched as the excitement from Roger's face drained out as he slowly realized what I just said. "Oh, yeah..." he mumbled.

Corona Village was indeed a place for the lower class. It wasn't evident as first glance, however, the first time I went here as a child. From the outside looking in, it would've appeared as if this town was a ground for middlemen. Structures and houses are built quite nicely as those in the Sun Capitol. Roads are made in stone as well as most of the landmarks are sculpted from marbles. The village looked way too extravagant for mere peasants to live in. It made sense, though. All of the greatest mages, soldiers, and some nobles originated from this very village. It was a breeding ground for concocting talent. But one look at all the shops and it will go downhill from there. All items, foods and all, for a price just below 10 curren. The low price compensates for the lack of quality of all the items here. Even so when it's below 5 curren. Now it's just garbage with a price tag. So, it would be very difficult to find a wealthy merchant who would accept an item such as a golem gem.

"I think I know where, nya~" we all turned to Kittyeyes, who sported a mischievous grin. She turned away and jumped unto a small building's top. "Follow meee~!" she said, prompting the three of us (Koll included) to follow in her wake.

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It took us quite a while to catch up to Kittyeyes. She was faster than any of us. Meanwhile, I was the slowest with only Koll lagging slightly behind Roger all this time. Though it was frustrating for me, what our little cat chase brought us to a very welcoming and familiar sight. Well, to me, at least.

"Come on! Come round! I have all things from all regions! Objects never seen before are right here in front of your very eyes! Step right up, folks! See anything you like? We'll discuss the right price! Come, one and all, to Sherlock's shop!" the same, cheerful, and mechanical merchant was doing his best to attract customers. The very same person that gave me a wagon full of money all those weeks ago. He seems to be in the same mood as when we met.

"Here we are! I heard he's very rich." And Kittyeyes wasn't lying when she commented that. The mechanical body that was very much dressed in fine cloth spoke for itself. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Roger stepped forward, excited to sell the gem. "Allow me to do the talking, guys. I am acquainted with this guy." I said, cutting in to Roger. He didn't object, which was nice.

Sherlock immediately recognized me as soon as I started walking up to him. "Oh! We meet again, young man. Say, have you got anything for me? Or are you here to buy something? Hehehe..." he giggled as he greeted me like an old friend. "I'm here for the former, actually..." "Really!?" his eyes glowed in the color of curren. I looked at Roger and gestured at him to come over. I took the gem from his hands and presented it to the mechanical merchant. Much to our dismay, he doesn't look quite as impressed as we thought he may be. "A golem gem? Really?" he took it from my hands and placed it close to his tiny head, inspecting the shiny object with every possible angle of approach. "Eh... It wouldn't really cost me that much, but it does look good, at least." he commented as he examined it more. "I'll give you 5000 curren for this, that all right with you? Or do you want **more**...?" he said, emphasizing the distress on the last remark. I turned around to look at the two people, both of them nodded. It seems as though 5000 curren was enough. "No, no, it's enough." Sherlock let out a huge sigh of relief as he grabbed an ornate pouch from his caravan, labelled 'Five Thousand'. "Good deal!" he placed his hand in front of him, or rather his mechanical body's arm. He reluctantly shook hands with him. He looked a bit upset before that, too. "Hmph! Anyways, good day!" he turned his back towards us grumpily and continued attracting more customers.

"Well, that fellow was a bit rusty on the edges, yes?" "Brother Rogerrrrr~" Kittyeyes wept from the bad pun his brother had delivered. Truly, truly bad pun. I pretend I didn't hear him and gave the curren pouch to the bandit. "Meet us back at the town plaza at around dusk. We'll be right back, all right?" Roger said, preemptively turning his back on me as he prepared to rush out. "B-but shouldn't Roxas come with us too, brother Roger?" I was flattered by Kittyeyes' concern. "O-oh, uh, no really, it's fine. Just do what you have to do. I got something up my alley too." I said. Roger, being satisfied with my answer, nodded and ran opposite to where I was heading with both Kittyeyes and Koll following shortly behind.

Dusk, huh? I guess it would take time for them to get all of the things prepared. But, really, what should _I_ do the whole afternoon? I basically lied to them. If this was a choice predetermined by fate, then what would be the other choice?

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Wait...

Hold on a second...

Is Roger really Kittyeyes' blood brother? I mean, they act as siblings through and through. I've overheard them bicker over the campfire last night and even argued about who will take the mongrel pelt for sleeping. But on the other side of the spectrum, I've seen them have genuine affections towards each other. Not sibling affection, no. Like affection you would give someone you're in love with. It was mainly Kittyeyes who even had the nerve to do this, though. And even then, she would hesitate quite a bit. Roger, eh, not so much. But how should I know? Me, who lived his life out in pain and solitude, would know _that_ much about love and affection.

More importantly, I haven't seen father around at all. Like, really, he isn't here for some reason. Usually he would go around Corona, looking for seeds and other farming related junk. But, as weird as it may seem, he isn't roaming around. That heavy feeling is still there, however, getting caught not getting to my job he ordered me to do.

Well, right now, it's sun down. I'm at the middle of the plaza, of course. Just standing here with no reason but to wait. The usual rowdy bunch of people is occupying a majority of the plaza. People from their homes making their ways to the various stores and vice versa, to Soldiers patrolling in squads to ensure safety and security, to wandering merchants selling jewelry and rare commodities from all around Vendacti, Sir Sherlock included.

As several forgettable faces fly past my vision, one by one, I saw both Roger and Kittyeyes in the distance. They were approaching the plaza. Just in time, too. I was getting anxious they wouldn't come sooner or later. Behind them were a band of thugs. Alot of thugs, actually. "Hey, Roxas! Glad you could wait!" Roger came up to me. I peeked behind him. The thugs were carrying a large, rather expensive, long table. Others were carrying chairs and the like. They even got candelabras. Four of them to be specific. "Uh, Roger...?" "Yeah?" "What's with, uh..." "What?" I pointed at the thugs behind him. My finger circling the air, doubting that whatever I say next would be the correct thing to say. However, I threw caution to the wind and blurted it out anyways. "All this junk?" "Junk? Hohohoho! Contraire, my friend. I got all this 'junk'..." he said that, emphasizing the "junk" part. "...from a local pawn shop. It was really a good deal. All of this stuff, for what, 200 curren! Now ain't **that** a good deal!" "Uh, sure, but where's the food?" as soon as the words spilled out from the mouth, Kittyeyes enthusiastically jumped out from the crowd and yelled at the top of her lungs, "COMING UP NYAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaa~"

Everyone in the whole plaza stopped to process Kittyeyes' sudden outburst. Which, to Roger, was a perfect opportunity to grab the entire village's attention. "Everyone!" Roger stood on top of the fine table, elevating himself one above the rest. "We're going to have a feast!". Awkward silence rolled in as the people didn't get what he meant. Roger leaned on over to me and whispered, "Guess it's time for plan B...". He perched his head up high again and announced, "Behold! The feast of Vendacti!" Just as he said that, the earth shook with immense force. It almost seemed like he himself declared a disaster to occur. The tremors went on for a while, everyone was losing their balance. I was no exception. Roger, meanwhile, didn't even shake in accordance with the earthquake. "Everyone! Get out of the way!" a small man ordered everyone as he flailed his arms around. As all seemed to have panic, creatures from all around the continent charged in the main plaza. People were yielded to the creatures and made room. Kaltas, tamed mongrels, golems, and frogodiles had riders mounting them all. All of these were pulling a cart, stabilized by Soul Energy. On top of these carts were food. The most scrumptious, delectable and fanciest food found on the continent. I looked around me and saw everyone, jaws open wide and their mouths began to water.

This was truly a moment to behold. Not just for me, but for all of these people. These poor peasants, who struggled to eat and survive in a hospitable environment, were finally getting their fill of delicious food from a criminal that is wanted from the most powerful kingdom, dead or alive. Now, that just sounds nice, huh? All of this, from just one shiny golem gem.

With a sleight of hand from Roger himself, the thugs were setting up the tables and the chairs. Now that I saw it for myself, the table is really long. I mean, to the point where it almost accommodates everyone in Corona. Chairs were lacking, though. There were only a handful of chairs. I presume that these would be ours to sit upon. It would make sense, though. The one's who threw the feast should be the ones sitting comfortably. But who knows? Maybe it's for town officials, or something. It would feel nice, but I doubt it's for me or for any of Roger's gang. The food came afterwards. I could tell that these are fresh from the kitchen. Their aromas were intermingling with each other, so it's fairly difficult to tell which is which. But one thing is for sure, that even if you don't know what dish you're smelling, it's guaranteed to blow you away with it's amazing taste. Just thinking about it makes me so weak in the knees.

"All right! Kittyeyes, you go here..." Roger said, pointing at one of the finer chairs. "Jeff, here..." I guess that's his right hand man. "And our new friend, Roxas, sits over here next to Jeff." It seems I was completely wrong about the whole "Maybe those chairs aren't ours" business. It was really an honor to be at the front most chair of a feast. At least, the most honor I'll ever get in my whole life.

No matter how many times you look at it, all the food was plentiful. Saying it would fit everyone would be an understatement. It could last. No, it **can** last two days even with people indulging and getting so much more than their share of the fill.

Roger's crew were dishing out all of the silverware and plates they could find. The rest were making sure that the people were taking their seats by the time they finished handing out the plates. And surprisingly, they did. For a band of thieves and criminals, they are really united in whatever they do.

A few minutes later, all were settled and ready to dig in. Everyone was grasping their knives and forks in great anticipation. Roger stood up, raised a chalice and began the feast, "Dive right in, everyone!" And with a loud roar of excitement, everyone in Corona had their faces deep in their plates.

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I couldn't move...

I turn to my left and saw Jeff sitting there, unconscious. Roger panting heavily and Kittyeyes was just sleeping at this point. Few of the villagers are drunk out of their minds, stumbling and fumbling about with a cup of grog in their hands. Others were scouring the table for more food, and as surprising as it may seem (although it isn't), there was still plenty more.

"Hehe, guess you done f***ed up now, Acelin..." laughed a rough voice behind me. I couldn't turn around to look at the person. "Briggs..." Roger scowled at the man. All too suddenly, he puked out most of what he ate. I guess he was holding it in to a great extent. He was groaning in pain. "Damn, what was in this food...?" The big man merely laughed as Roger was suffering. Meanwhile, my left hand were reaching out for my sword. I don't have a good feeling about this.

Briggs was a muscular man. A brute, if you will. If you look at him, it shows he spent most of his life training and building muscle. He bore scars and tattooed on them as if they were prized trophies for show. Intimidating, indeed.

He brought out his large scimitar and grabbed Roger by the hair. "Remember that time you raided my base? Well, I'll be taking back what you stole along with your life!" Briggs said with a malicious grin, his scimitar at Roger's throat. Briggs' followers surrounded Roger. It was like a king's subjects circling around him for a private discussion, but only this time, death was the topic.

It was at this point, where my body was numb and I could feel nothing, is where my right hand became agonizingly painful. It glowed brightly, as always. As if it was acting on it's own, my right arm forced it's way and grasped unto my blade. My body throbbed with pain as I couldn't scream. I wanted to. But alas, I couldn't. Dark energy swirled around the blade from my hand as my body stood up, driving my sword unto the table. Briggs took notice, and faced me. This was one moment that felt like a dream. I couldn't control my body, not anymore.

Then, I overheard voices. They weren't coming from anywhere, though. These voices echoed in my mind. _"You want to kill him, don't you?"_ And it wasn't as subtle as you might think. It's literally talking within the recesses of my head. _"Yes, just let me do what I'm made for..."_ And with that, I let go. It all felt differently as my consciousness sunk into the darkness below.

Peaceful, yet I am not entirely at peace.

Not yet.

My body didn't feel like it was truly mine, that time. But boy, did it feel rejuvenating. The pain was gone, the control was gone, but my mind remained intact. Untouched. Again, it felt like a dream.

Briggs lets go of Roger, who still was groaning in pain even after vomiting. "Who are you supposed to be...?" Briggs said, still trying his best to maintain the intimidating aura. Though, I could feel his fear. But it's faint. Very faint. _"I am your_ _ **nightmare**_ _. Who I am doesn't matter. Not even to this vessel..."_ though it wasn't my voice that echoed through. It was the being within me. Or whatever was within me, anyways. Now, Briggs' fear reeked like dead fish in a barrel left alone to dry in the sun although the same couldn't be said about his face. This damn guy just doesn't let up, huh?

At the back of my mind, there I was. Sitting in the darkness. A dark orb, dripping with flames hung just right above me. It was quiet. I spoke.

"Who are you anyways?"

 _"Me? Not important... Just your family..."_

"How is family not important?"

 _"Oh, one of your fathers said that to me once... Well, I believed him..."_

"What exactly **are** you?"

 _"Let's save the talk when we are alone... Don't want this guy to ruin our fun, no?"_

It was right. I simply couldn't allow such things to be interrupted. If this was me, then I am not aware of myself at all. If this is family, then why only now have I met this relative of mine?

 _"Save the questions for later, Roxas..."_

I lunged forward. The blade, overloaded with dark energy, pierced through the air as my body swiftly followed. I barely caught Briggs try to counter attack, but alas, I felt his arm be torn from my very sword. The smell of singed flesh filled the air. Briggs' followers drew their swords as they covered their mouths and noses from the foul stench. Even I felt my stomach churn from that very smell. Only seconds later did Briggs finally screeched. "AAAAAARRRGGHHH!" he slammed the ground with all his might as he realized right arm was no longer there.

"Brother... **hiccup** ...Roger..." Kittyeyes moaned. Even in her sleep, she still called out to him. How sweet of her. "Raargh! Men, abduct the demihuman!" Briggs ordered his followers. They all hastily went over to Kittyeyes, who's head was weakly supported by her left hand. As one of them laid a hand on her unconscious body, fire erupted from the table, virtually destroying all the food and silverware in the process. Koll was up and ready to fight, growling at the thugs with extreme ferocity. The dog lunged and bit the first guy, latching unto him like a starving leech.

 _"Oh ho, very nice..."_ the being's voice commented and began slashing down Briggs' followers. One by one, they would be subjected to a cut then a burn. The corrosive energy that coursed through my sword was enough to incapacitate them all with one clean slice. Koll was there to keep the thugs busy before turning to them for the final blow. As soon as his followers were down and out, I turned to Briggs, who was cowering behind a chair, too small for him to hide behind. "P-please... m-mercy! I-I could g-g-give you anything you ever w-w-want! Just please! Don't k-kill meeeee...!" he pleaded like a little girl. The pain returned as I got full control again. I did my best to hold in the pain. I must now show weakness to this man. I looked down on him. He looks so pitiful. "Can you give me a normal life...?" I said, rather sorrowfully, knowing that cannot be achieved. "H-huh?" Briggs' voice cracked as he was thinking it out. "N-no... But I can give you-" 

" **Too bad...** " 

And one slice, precisely delivered to the neck, separated Briggs' head from his body. "R-Roxas...? You killed him...?" "He was gonna kill you, was he not?" I did Roger a favor. A favor I didn't do. Or at least, what I didn't want to do. "Well, I thank you..." he said before going back to sleep.

I look around. Koll was now napping on Kittyeyes' lap. The moon was shining brightly above the village lights. Everyone was out cold. The throbbing pain on my right arm was now bearable. Bearable than it ever was. Who was that being?

Sheathing my sword, I went over to the nearest chair. I sat comfortably, my body slouching and letting my blade rest on my side. I closed my eyes, allowing fatigued and sleep to take over me.

This was my first ever time to take a life. 

They say that the moment you decide to take a life is also the moment you throw away your humanity. 

But what if I'm not human to begin with...?


	7. Chapter 7: The Voice in My Head

"Ugh... Where...?" I groaned. The Sun's rays are shining directly to my eyes. If the world wanted me blind, it would've done it's deed years ago. I sat up and looked around. I was in Corona's main plaza.

I don't remember much last night, but I do remember the big feast. I don't remember how the table got destroyed and how all the food got messed up somehow. Some things were on fire. Literally burning brightly. Silverware, plates and wooden chunks of the table littered the stone floor.

"G-good morning... **yawn**... Roxas-kyun~" Kittyeyes greeted me. Her face all too exhausted to the point where her eye bags became noticeable. "Mornin' Kittyeyes..." I yawned in return. Man, these things are toxic. "Say, where's Roger-OUCH!". Pain came out of nowhere as I tried standing up. It originated from my right arm, as always. A few sharp breaths and I am able to suppress the aching feeling. Though it's true the pain has always been there my whole life, I am still not used to it. Even more so these past few months. The pain just kept getting worse and worse.

"Huh...? Oh, he's over there nya~" she said, rather absentmindedly, yawning a bit more too. Rather than just picking myself up and going over to Roger to see if he's all right or not, I proceeded to lay down on the cold, stone path, looking up on the sky above all of us.

The bright orange hue filled the once blackened sky. I merely laid there, gazing upon such an incredible yet most common sight one could see. It's amazing, really. Beauty can be found in anywhere. Anywhere at all. Be it in life or death. Everything can be a medium for beauty.

Or at least, that's what mother told me anyways.

I wonder what would it feel like when I didn't have this curse on me. Would I have lived a normal life? Or would it stay the same? If I was a different person, would my views on the world change? Or would they stay the same? Slowly, I bring up my right hand above my face, somewhat covering the orange sky. The arm, still covered in bandages, pulsed through my blood like a headache. Clenching my fist as hard as I could, I could feel the relieving numbness. The pain gone, but for only a moment.

I stood up. I saw Kittyeyes grabbing another set of shut eye on the nearest chair she could find. And like a true cat, she sat comfortably even without a pillow. The Sun's rays were about as hot as a lowly flame. It was still early dawn, after all. The plaza was littered with ashes, wood, steel and whatever else food was made out of. Sadly, most of the food were gone by daylight. I'm guessing all the people woke up in the middle of a night to chew on what was left. And I wasn't surprised by the sight that the food that remained were the village's "prized" delicacies. Local delicacies were about as questionable as they could get. It was hard to kill a fully grown boomshroom, but to cook such a thing meant messing up your kitchen. So, me and father usually stuck to the normal stuff. A bunch of farm animals and vegetables stewed in a pot would do the trick most of the time. But a few years past, we gave up on raising animals. It was a bit of a taboo to stop raising beneficial creatures, but we couldn't afford monsters on our asses all the time. Usually, these invasions would involve the state of the crops on the field, which in turn, ruin our expenses and our way of living. So, we sold out what was left of our livestock and lived with growing vegetables. Though we traded some of our luxury of animal access to low quality meats in the village, but all's well that ends well, right?

Roger was already at the point of waking. He would be devastated to know that all he spent was destroyed in just a matter of seconds. Er, hours. I picked up my sword and strapped it unto my body, feeling the familiarity of it's weight once more. "Ugh..." Roger whimpered as he too got up from the ground. "Heya..." I weakly said. I wasn't in the mood to be all excited today. Especially after realizing that my newfound friend almost died. But I'm guessing it's not something new to them, either. "Help me out, will you...?" Roger said, raising his hand up to me. I grabbed his hand and pulled him up to his feet. "Thanks... Now what about this?" he asked me. I shrugged. I didn't know what to do except clean this mess up.

Speaking of mess, there was one huge body that was laying face first on the stone ground. Armless and lifeless, one hand clutching on the scimitar. Then, memories of last night came flooding down like a landslide. I remember everything clearly, or as clearly as I hoped. "Who was that man? Briggs?" "Oh, him? Just some ruffian who was on my tail for years. Wanted me dead, just like everybody..." Roger said, nonchalantly. The words 'just some ruffian' rung in my head for quite a while. It was scary, really, knowing he would take that simple phrase very lightly. We both stood there, staring at Briggs' lifeless body. Roger broke off the silence with his hand on my shoulder. "Thank you. You know, for last night. I would've died there..." I nodded, smiled and turned towards the Sun.

However, the fact still remains. Did Briggs' interference last night was purely a coincidence? Or was it planned? I'm certain someone like Roger would be able to see a trap when he would see it. But then it won't add up when we ended up falling for it, right? Hehe, what am I thinking? Never knew my imagination was this vivid and creative before.

"Also, Roxas..." Roger spoke up, breaking off my train of thought. "Yeah...?" I turned to him. "Where's Kittyeyes?" I pointed to where I last saw Kittyeyes sleep. "She's right over..." but as my finger aligned in her direction, she was gone. "...there." The chair where she once was sitting, had only nothing. " ..." Roger forced a laugh. "...very funny, Roxas. Now, where is she?". I gulped, hoping I would swallow my nervousness with it. That, I couldn't answer. But I had to, more or less. He will think I'm to blame for this. I'm certain of it. "I... don't know..." I mumbled. I wondered if he heard me. "Oh... So, this is a problem...". I exhaled. He didn't raise his sword to me, so that's nice.

I really need to drop being selfish for once, no?

"You got any idea where she would be?" he asked me. Right now, there wasn't much I could provide for him. At least the though of him caring for Kittyeyes was a comforting thought in itself. However, it was useless asking me for any sort of direction. Truly, I was in the dark here. So, I merely shook my head and said, "No...". With this, we were faced with yet another problem. Or just a problem. I don't really consider the whole "cleaning up the buffet's mess" a huge worry in my book. It's just some chore that is magnified greatly. What more could it be?

Then I felt a presence rub against my leg. It was hot. As if it was burning. I looked down, and found only Koll. I stepped back a bit. The heat faded away. Strange. Could it really be...? "Ah, Koll!" the dog went up to his master as his name was called, tackling Roger to the ground. Even he was surprised by Koll's strength. "Woah! Slow down there, little fella..." Roger said, pleading Koll to get off of him as they were rolling around on the stone pathway. Looking from afar, I could tell that it wasn't such a wonderful feeling to be rolling around in stone. I mean, it _is_ stone, after all. After that, awfully uncomfortable scene, Koll got off and sat, looking dignified but also, somewhat terrified. Like he's trying to act tough for his master's sake. "Ahaha... *sigh* hm? What's wrong, Koll...?" Roger asked him. The dog only sat straight, but quivered.

"It's gotta be, Kittyeyes, right?" I said. If my thought process is correct, Koll should be agreeing about what I said any second now. Koll sprang up and rubbed against my leg. And look at that, it seems I was right. Roger looked at me and nodded. I nodded back. If we were going to get Kittyeyes, it might as well be right now. Roger knelt down and petted the white cub and asked, "Do you know where she is...?" Without warning, Koll dashed towards the plaza exit. Somehow, leaving burn marks along his wake.

Well, it seems they're not all gone...

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We've been running for what seems to be hours. Roger and I are really far behind Koll. However, the burnt trail and the heat from it told us we were not far behind yet. I could feel all my strength leave me the more I move my feet to the rhythm of the earth. My vision began to be blurred as the mountains on the horizon began to magnify. Why didn't we just take the kalta...?

We rushed out of Corona. There wasn't much time to think things over. Instead, we just ran. Ran and ran under the heat of the blazing Sun. Over hills, over rivers, Koll wouldn't allow us to rest. Not ever. Not now. This was urgent for the three of them. I am just a tag along in their wild ride.

I felt the heat from the burn marks become hotter as we approached a snall hill. As we scaled it, we saw Koll. The dog merely laid there, tongue out and was breathing heavily. "So... you're tired... Koll...?" Roger panted heavily, saying the words in between the sharp breaths. No word could escape my mouth from then on. Fatigue rushed in my body like a current. A current I couldn't escape. The next thing I knew, Roger was lying down on the grass, unconscious as I may guess.

My vision began to be blurry as ever. I was on the line of passing out, too. As darkness warped within my eyes, I felt the throbbing of my arm become painful once again. This time, I couldn't open my eyes. I only struggled in the darkness as the pain became worse and worse with each passing moment. I can feel Roger and Koll's presence. But their presence is merely faint.

There was pain, but then there was relief. Something was coming to me, flowing into my body through my arm.

"What is happening...!?" I shouted into the darkness. I think they can hear me, but I threw that thought aside.

 _"Shh... Relax. It'll only take a while..."_

Then, I opened my eyes.

The bluest sky greeted me first. I found myself lying down on the ground. My head was spinning. "Ugh... What...?" I groaned. I didn't really understand what happened. But what I did understand, was **that** being's doing. The pain from my arm was gone. At least for now.

But as I sighed a relief, a sign of goodness that came from above has blessed me, the same couldn't be said about the hill I'm sitting on. I remember it clearly, the grass was green. As all healthy grass should. But it wasn't. It wasn't like that at all. The green hill that was littered with life, the one I scaled I few moments ago, was no where to be found. Instead, I am sitting on top of a dirt mound. A lifeless hill, drained of all it's natural essence.

I looked at my arm. Then, like a mocking child, it glowed a greenish hue before being suppressed by the very darkness that haunts me from my birth.

"Did... **I** do this...?"

Although it was faint, I could hear the very laughter of the being. Chuckling away in the deepest parts of my very mind. Mocking me. I suppress the feeling and stood up.

If I remember correctly, we are here for Kittyeyes, right? Surely this can not be the end of the exhausting journey.

As expected, both dog and man are sleeping. Though I do smell a really vague scent coming from Koll's breath. Very strange, indeed.

I look on over to the other side of the hill. There lay a village. Or, at least a some houses and a few men. A village is a common word to throw around. Usually if there are at least 3 houses with three different families heading each of their own, it would be called a village. This particular place fitted the description really well, actually.

This is awfully a weird place to hold someone hostage. But, you know, we don't also pick out our own preferred way to go out.

I briefly jumped up and proceeded to slide down the slope, the heels of my leather shoes controlling the rate of my fall. As I landed on the ground, it echoed loudly and grabbed the attention of all the villagers.

The villagers, on the other hand, looked like they were hiding something. All their heads in their hoods as most of their faces are subsequently covered in clothing. The same can be said about the rest of their bodies. Heavily clothed from head to toe. As if they wanted **no one** to know who they really are.

I pulled out the blade from the sheathe. Their eyes fixated toward me. Though I could not help but wonder why they are not facing me. "Wh-who are you!?" one of the clothed men growled at me. "Where is Kittyeyes?" I replied. Murmurs spread. Their glares begin to pierce through my body. Like fine needles.

"Kittyeyes...?" a man spoke but silence followed. I stood straight, clenched my right hand into a fist, numbing the echoing pain, and looked at them. The same man who spoke her name, gasped and sprinted out.

Looks like I have found the culprit.

Firmly gripping the sword, I chase after him. For a small village, it reached a maximum of ten seconds before the hooded figure exited the village grounds and into the grassy plains. The chase was a bit hard, though. Running through thick patches of grass was tricky. Fortunately, the man managed to trip. I'm guessing the guy's foot got entangled in the grass. Couldn't blame him, though. Almost tripped myself.

The man was panicking, thrashing and flailing his arms in the air. I raised the blade and placed it near his throat, the man's body stood still. I have no intention of killing this man, but my left hand could not stay firm.

I was shaking.

"Hohoho... Afraid, are we?" the man commented. He must have noticed. Drawing my frustration, I inched the blade closer. That wiped the smug grin off of his face. "Shut up! Tell me where you placed her!"

"What are you talking about...?" "You know very well what I am talking about! Tell me where is she!"

"Don't worry about it, boss. We got yer buttocks in this." And just as I was getting closer to the answer, I got welcoming company. I turned around, I was greeted with men and, surprisingly, women armed with daggers and axes.

They were ready to fight. Prepared to kill me.

"Hahaha! You idiot..." the man before my blade laughed out loud. As if in victory. "Did you think you'll get away with this assault easily? Not after what you did to us, you won't. How **dare** you humans mess with us! Kill him!"

Looks like my blade is forced to draw blood today.

If they are so willing to kill me, then what other option do I have? It's either me or them.

They all run towards me. Weapons raised above their heads, ready to deliver a strike. I hate to say it, but they are slow.

I jump to the right, far from the downed man. I slash upwards, hoping to at least scrape something. Anything, really. To my luck, I just cut off a girl's right arm off of her. She proceeds to scream in agony as her comrades close in on me.

I want to apologize, scream and say sorry, but the Sun above me, burning brightly, is lusting for blood.

 _"Why don't you let me take over...?"_

The voice within me spoke up. "Not in a crucial moment..." I spoke but I spoke in my mind. That was all the response I could muster before getting a slice down my right hand.

The pain that is constant throughout my whole life and the open wound from the axe hit made it excruciating. I almost fell to one knee before slashing two people. Their bodies thud on the grass as I jumped further back, successfully distancing myself from the incoming onslaught.

 _"Oh dear, aren't you stubborn...?"_

I fell to one knee. Gasping for air as I tried holding the pain in. Then, the darkness seeped out of my hand and into the open. As if the dark clouds got minds of their own, they sought out the bodies of the fallen. Like last time, it drained the life from them and poured it all into my body.

And, just like that, I felt renewed. I stood up. The pain was already gone. I switched the sword over to my right hand.

However, when my right hand got a grip of the blade, everything fell into place. "Just like magic" would be the best way to describe it. It felt surreal.

The dark clouds that was bleeding from my arm were now spiraling the blade. It was like a living sheathe. A sheathe that was forgotten and broken. A sheathe that was reunited with it's master, the sword. As the clouds recognized the weapon, it decided to become one with it. The sword now glowed a dark reddish hue.

My heart raced in panic, confusion and hope. It didn't take too long before I had to swing at my assailants again. The pain that was supposed to be in my arm was no longer present. I swing the sword again. Their flesh was too soft. Or is my sword too sharp? I don't know nor does it really matter, anymore. Their dark blood splattered unto the grass and the blade, like a cruel funnel, drank from their wounds. I felt rejuvenated with each slice, with each pain I delivered unto them. It felt right, but my heart screamed that I should stop.

Is this what torturers feel like...?

After I effortlessly took down 6 people, one by one, the sword sucked in their essence. Then, it wasn't long before it was just me and the culprit. I am still surprised that he was still stuck. Still tangled in the grass after a quick slaughter. It was almost comical, really.

"St-stay back! Stay back, I say!" he desperately swung at me like a madman that drowned himself in booze for that past five hours. Sweat and tears rolled down his cheeks. I leaned into him and placed the blade on his throat. This time, being firm as ever. "Now, I will let you go if you tell me where you hold her captive..." Instead of a cooperative answer, the man spat at me. I furiously wiped the from my cheek with the back of my hand. Frustrated, I calmly asked one more time, "Where is she...?". Again, he didn't cooperate. He chuckled and said nonchalantly, "I don't know what you are talking about." I sighed. I guess there was no other choice.

I stabbed his left eye.

He proceeded to scream. Scream as loud as his body would allow. I flinched, knowing that it surely would be painful if done on me. Even more so with a cursed sword draining the life out of you. The screams continued until he finally mustered up the will to speak. "Okay, okay, if you want curren, you can get it from our houses! You can get anything you want from there, **ANYTHING**! JUST PLEASE DON'T KILL MEEEEEEE!" I considered his words. He felt enough agony for today.

They say, right now, mercy would be too late. But then I realized, receiving mercy late is still better than no mercy at all.

I removed the blade from his eye. The blood that was on the weapon was absorbed and flowed right into my body. I felt fulfilled. I felt more alive than I ever was. My stomach churned, however, knowing that the life I have now was crudely stolen. Given to me unwillingly through the cruel trial of the blade.

The downed man whimpered as he cried out into the sky. The heated weather couldn't be any worse than it is right now. I felt the first drop of sweat flow down my face as I made my way to the village. As I sheathed my blade, dark energies began to glow a bright red, pulsating frequently. Then, the man's cries began to turn into screams. I quickly turned around, and witnessed him charging at me, an axe in hand.

Then, like a natural body instinct, I thrust the sword forward, plunging into the man's abdomen. The curse decided to play an unexpected twist and began releasing all the life I have stored up and burst into the man. His body twitched and spasmed, meanwhile I was having my soul torn to pieces. Or at least, that's what it felt like. As the man's body limped on top of me, still having the sword in his stomach, he uttered his final words as his cloak came undone and revealed a pair of horns, "Forgive me, Nigel..."

I did not know who this Nigel is nor do I have any idea, but what I do know right now is that I am truly fatigued. Like really, really exhausted. I could feel my heartbeat through my throat and with each pulse I just kept losing my strength.

For a few minutes, I knelt down on the grass. I was biding my time, waiting for my energy to return. Though, it wasn't coming back as soon as I had hoped it would. I switched the grip unto my left hand. My own strength came back, but the pain has returned. Like a sadistic trick from fate, like a false promise, the pain from the curse was never lifted.

 _"Ah... That was fun. Don't you think?"_

I should've known. I should've remembered. That being's shrill voice. It itched at the back of my mind, just beyond the reach of my own inside voice. Beyond the boundary of my own thoughts. It acted like tick that never came out. A tick that would now, and I am certain of it, gnaw on my emotions, thoughts and all.

With a silent sigh, I sheathed my sword. All the dark energies flowed from the sword and into my right hand. I had turned around, my full attention to the village.

Now that I think about it, calling this place a village would be an overstatement. Truly, there was only three houses. I looked back. It appears that I have killed everyone. Although it was in self defense, if I told **anyone** about it, though, they would straight up call me a murderer. A villain, even. A cold hearted one. Just thinking about it makes me shiver. That would be the last thing I would want someone to call me. That would be my greatest tragedy yet. I mean, who wants to be called such a horrible thing?

I entered into one of the houses. This would be a call for trespassing and invasion of private property. But, right now, who is the one who's going to stop me? I mean, the owner of the house is dead. The more I thought about the situation I am in, the more morbid it gets by the second. Aside for that, though, the construction of the house is fairly well done for a "village" that is isolated in Paradise Prairie. A solid rock base with a roof made of dried leaves tied together that is supported by long and sturdy tree trunks. Whatever was inside, however, was personal objects that I wouldn't even dare to steal. Killing the owner and raiding his home is bad enough, but stealing the items here would trigger a string of regret that would be forever rooted deep in my heart. I looked around, but no sign of Kittyeyes. The same thing went for the other two houses.

I ran up to the hill where both dog and rogue were sleeping soundly under the heat of the blazing Sun. By the time I arrived, Roger was already awake. He was holding Koll in his arms as the dog whimpered. In pain, if I were to guess from it. "Hey, Roxas. Where's Kittyeyes?" he asked me. I shrugged. "Couldn't find her in that village...". As expected, Roger was a bit disappointed. "Damn it. Koll was sure when he reached that place. But right now, I'm beginning to doubt it." he commented, pointing at a point in the hilltop. He was pointing at vomit. It was dark green in coloration. Now that I have noticed it, it's putrid stench began to fill my lungs. "Koll ate poison last night. I'm guessing that's the main reason for him changing all of a sudden."

Right now, everything that had happened added up. Everything made perfect sense. Which puts me, whom I thought be the main hero for today, in at an extreme fault. I knew that my life was going to be all bloody, but it flew past my mind that my hands were going to be those of sinners. My stomach churned and my heart felt heavy, knowing that I had to accept that very fact of life.

Me, Roger, and Koll made our way back to Corona. This time, at our own pace. Koll couldn't run around and be playful at this moment. He, too, was exhausted from this journey. As the Sun dipped into the horizon, we finally reached the main plaza. "We are never running like that ever again..." I said. Roger and Koll agreed as they dropped down unto the warm, stone ground. "Where have y'all been nya~?" and just like that, our urgent mission came into an awful conclusion.

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The next day was a brand new day. Even though I kept silent from everyone about yesterday's events, I still had to look forward for so much more. I still needed to keep an order from father. A request that I have no progress on, unfortunately. But today, feeling refreshed, I was ready to head out to Totemtaff. But not without helping out Roger and the gang while restocking my food. Turns out, the food father gave me only lasted a couple of days, as unfortunate as it may sound. However, I'm leaning moreover to whatever Roger gives me. I would apologize to father if I said that out loud, though. We spent the whole night at a local inn, so the space we had was a bit lackluster. However, we managed to sneak in a ton of fruits, as Kittyeyes went out to, and dare I say, "negotiate" to some late night merchants for exotic fruits.

"Here Roxas, some Pomelodoras to keep you topped up at Totemtaff and some other fruits." Roger handed me a bag of fruits. Well, I can't really complain. As long as you survive and live to tell the tale, I'm set. I mean, he picked the sweetest fruits for me so that I can't argue about. "Good luck on your mission, brother Roxas!" said Kittyeyes who was rubbing Koll's belly. As I walked at the main door of the room, I looked back. Everyone was looking at me. "All right guys, see you when I see you!" as I bid my farewell, the three of their goodbyes echoed through the inn. Even though we may be parting for good, they still retained the welcoming vibes the first time I met them.

As I exited the inn, the morning rays greeted me excitedly and blinded me _._ The cold breeze from the westward side of town wistfully blew right past me and into the rowdy main plaza as I walked toward the busy people. _"What an interesting group, don't you think...?"_ The voiced echoed again. This time, a bit closer than the last time it spoke. Close enough that I get the chance to talk to it.

"What are you...?" I asked it. _"This question again? Really? I just hate repeated stuff. It's just so..."_ "So...?" _"I don't know!"_ It chuckled maniacally. Acting out like it doesn't hold the answers I seek. I still need answers. "Okay... Then, how about this: Where did you come from?" _"Ah, now that's more like it!"_ Jackpot. I've hit a sweet spot. _"Keep walking, you. I'll explain myself soon enough."_

So I reached into the fruit bag Roger gave me, pulled out a Pomelodora and sank my teeth into it's chewy flesh. This is going to be a story worth listening to.

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I've been walking for about as long as twenty minutes. I have been waiting in anticipation for that answer. At this point, it feels like the being in my mind merely exists just to tug at my thoughts. Sadistically teasing me to insanity. As I trudge unto another hill on the prairie, I am only greeted by the dead silence in my thoughts. The world around me moves on forward while here I am, stuck in my head waiting for an answer.

 _"What were we talking about again...?"_ the voice finally spoke up. "I asked you where you came from." _"Oh! I remember now!"_ I felt relieved. I didn't have to wait for another twenty minutes only listening to the thudding of my feet on the hot dirt. "Let me hear it, please...". No answer. Well, I don't really have the right to say what's wrong with this voice in my head nor do I have the right to complain, either. Whatever or whoever this is, I need to know.

Before I know it, I was all alone again. I scanned the area around me. I was still in familiar territory. Nothing note worthy. Just a few minor changes here and there. Well, Totemaff is a three day journey from Corona, so I wouldn't be surprised if I won't be able to reach there today. However, I picked up the speed but only a bit. I don't know f what my father asked for is urgent or not. All I ever knew was him putting me under that tree during my sleep and gave me food that was about to expire. I know my father just as well as I know how boomshrooms work.

I barely have any idea.

Honestly, father was the biggest challenge growing up. You know, in a sense of understanding. I never really understood why he did certain things at certain times. I know for a fact that he'd always bother me about the ways of the field, but then I never actually had the motivation to get up and learn. I just sat back and repeated his actions, hoping that they were right. Luckily, 90% of the time, they were right. This charade repeated over the course of 6 years up until now. Over the course of those long years were the struggles of facing the curse. And what started those long years was the passing of my dearest mother.

I don't know if I now despise my mother or not, but whenever I see that tree, the same oak tree that we shared many moments under, it tugs at my heart. Sometimes it was comforting, memories of her kind and gentle nature flooded my mind whenever that happened. However, sometimes those memories acted like thorns in my heart. With each heartbeat, it would ache unbearably. More painful that the pain from my hand.

 _"Going over memories, are we?"_ the voice, once again, chuckled. "Don't treat my memories as a joke..." _"Oh, scary!"_ it taunted me. I tried suppressing my anger. There was no need to be angry at myself. "Well? Aren't you tell me where you came from?"

 _"Where **I** came from...?"_

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It all started in the darkness. The darkest of the dark imaginable. As dark as nothingness.

Then, light. A burst of light came out from the darkness.

The source? I do not know.

For as long as I can remember, that memory has become blurry.

Then I was falling.

I do not know where, I do not know how, but I was falling. Falling and falling, unto the darkness below.

I remember looking up at the light, it was grand but at the same time, saddening.

I did not know emotions way back when, but I did feel them. They existed as long as I existed. I did not think of it as a comforting thought, but a burden back then.

If I could shed tears, then the darkness that suffocated me would also drown me.

The darkness came after I felt the ground for the first time. It was exciting. But then that excitement was short lived.

For centuries, for millennia, I stayed that way.

Trapped in the darkness.

That's all I ever knew.

I didn't even know what I am, or who I was.

All I knew was the pitch black oblivion, hugging me tightly.

Up until that fated day.

I remember it so clearly.

The light was flashing before me.

The dirt that was covering me was beginning to undo itself.

There I was. Laid bare in front of a man who had silver hair.

The man held the very shovel to dig me out of the ground.

I had eyes, but no mouth to speak. All I did was blink my crystalline eye at my hero.

He picked me up from the ground with curiosity and interest. He brought me back to his home. There, he studied me. All day and all night.

One night, he brought in a stone tablet, filled to the brim with soul energy. I, without even realizing it, absorbed the soul energy.

He was fascinated.

Everyday, he would feed me soul energy, until I could finally speak to him. I was strong enough to send my thoughts as waves to him.

At first, he was afraid. Too afraid.

Then we talked. And talked. And talked, until I convinced him to eat me.

I told him, "I can make you great. Just trust me, **friend** ". Though I do consider him my greatest friend, he was also a foolish one.

His body changed into a more monstrous form.

I could not do anything.

His mind was strong, but his flesh was weak.

More and more, he became a monster. I felt regret, but I did not truly understand what it was.

Though he did transform into a monster, people around him banished the essence from him. He turned back into a human, surprisingly enough.

I was now a part of him.

I could see what he was seeing, feel what he was feeling, but I could not control him.

The only time I could, was when he turned into a monster.

Even then, I did not know what to do. I could only fight for myself.

For my freedom.

Then, he met a woman.

And from that woman, he bore a child.

My essence, was torn in half.

The half given to his child.

The half that was monstrous, and what remained in him was my very essence.

He could take a life, and give it to himself. He can destroy life just as easily as he could take it. But at the cost of his own.

Then, he died.

But, I was whole again in his child.

Then his child met a women and bore his own child.

That was you.

The half that remained in your father is still the monstrous one.

You have my essence.

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I remained silent as it finished it's story. I never thought I would get **this** amount of answers by just one question. However, even though I now know the answer to one, the answer itself sprang up new questions. What are you? What can I do to expel you from me? Are you permanent? Where did you **actually** come from?

But for now, that very story satisfied my being. For now, at least.

It was evening. I decided to stop under an oak tree. Though this one isn't the same one mother and I shared. The stars are out tonight. The night's gust was as gentle as mother. I laid down my head unto the warm grass as I looked out to the stars above.

What are stars anyways? Are they the souls of the dearly departed? If so, what are the chances mother is watching me and father right now? Is she happy? Is she angry at this turn of events? As these things wandered around in my mind, the fatigued from travel finally caught up to me.

I yearned for the truth. Now, I must suffer, knowing the truth.


	8. Chapter 8: Shenanigans on a Mountain

Two days have passed.

No voice. No company.

I was nearing the border to Totemtaff. It was still hours before Sun rise, so I wasn't sure where I was. I am literally walking in the dark. All I had to rely on was the dirt path beneath me. If I stepped unto a patch of grass, I would know. I just needed to get back unto the path. I needed to feel my way around this until Sun rise. My feet were my eyes. Although, not very effective ones.

I did this for about hours. I wasn't able to sleep for the past 10 hours. The sweetness and the rush of energy from the fruits kept me up all day and all night. My senses were beginning to be dull. My nose only smelled the scent of vinegar. Right now, I want to satisfy everything my body needs. Whatever it may be, my body begged for it. I knew for a fact, sooner or later, my body would soon break down. I'd only wish for it to be later, but I can't really avoid it.

All this time, though, I always have my left hand gripping the handle of the sword tightly. It was hard enough to walk in pure darkness. The worst part is that I never felt any progress. I tried convincing myself that tripping against the rocks was progress in itself, but I always felt like I was merely walking in circles, never getting anywhere. I feared that I won't last out here at the border.

Fortunately, I remember the fruit supply Roger gave me would last for about a week. If rationed, that is. Normally, fruits are going to rot in a span of four days. And that would be considering the fruit itself is generous enough to last that long. But, using the curse, it can last indefinitely. Though at a cost of my own health.

Now that I think about it, I don't really think it's optimal to maintain things that are going to rot away using my own flesh and blood. I wouldn't remain sane if things were to continue that way. I suppose, some things must never stay forever.

If something destroys you even though you think it would be beneficial, then it's probably best to let it go...

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It was finally sun rise. I looked down, the dirt path beneath me was now clearer than ever. The patches of grass around me were significantly higher than of those near Corona. Or any particular village, in fact.

I am in territory that is rarely even touched by humanity. This also wasn't a path where merchants would go. The absence of tracks were evidence on it's own. This was going straight to Totemtaff Ridge. A place where animals with rational thought inhabited ever since the creation of Vendacti.

However, since the rise of the Kingdom of the Sun, there has been malicious activity for the past decades. Or so I was told. The trek that was already dangerous enough on it's own had it's risk be doubled. Why? I heard father and mother discuss about it a long time ago. It was about the golem gems. Raiding, stealing, killing creatures and the like just for the fortune it would give. I sometimes despise how mankind would go so far as to destroy because of greed. A greed that would, in the end, be lost anyway because someone decided to forcefully take it away from you.

Fruitless actions that lead to tragic ends. I don't know whether to feel pity for those who risked their lives only to be lost or feel disgust.

I am confused.

Moving forward, the grass around me began dying. Not like, in a direly fashion, no, but like the ground began to become barren. Green grounds turn brown as I approach the border.

The border separating Totemtaff Ridge and Paradise Prairie was as obvious as a silver coin in a bag of bronze. The land separating these were on different levels. Literally. The beginning of Totemtaff was on the foot of the cliff of the border. If one would look down from from the very cliff I am standing on right now, one would think that he or she was staring at an ocean with no water.

Though the border can be considered a wasteland, the same cannot be said to the land beyond. Thriving bear villages living on the mountain sides living in harmony with the creatures of Totemtaff. It was a refreshing sight. I say that with a hint of regret, though. I feel like I was betraying the very place I grew up. Sure, Totemtaff was indeed pretty, but I couldn't find the guts to say Paradise Prairie was beautiful. At least, not yet...

The descent down the cliff side was frightening. At least, it felt like it. It was almost a straight drop to the ground, and the sight of the descent made my stomach drop. I hugged the wall and made my climb down very slowly. What made it worse was that there was an unusual amount of earthquakes. And having an earthquake near a cliff was a bit too much for me. For someone who was used to the soft, grasslands of Paradise Prairie, this was surely a new experience.

Slowly but surely, I made my way down. Inching myself closer and closer, but very carefully. This is a situation where I would not be as reckless as I would be in combat. This was a position no man would dare jump off. Although it would be fun to think about. I mean, it's not like I had the sudden urge to jump and fall to my death a few minutes ago. It's kind of weird. Do other people have this feeling, too? These thoughts, these temptations that lead to the destruction of only one's self. The voice of the curse did not speak to me, though. These thoughts are that of my own doing.

Do I hate myself?

Do people hate themselves?

These questions clawed at my brain as I trekked the mountainous region. The uneven ground made me feel uneasy. Almost every time, I would lose my balance with each step. As each minute passes, though, I gradually got used to the weird terrain. It was, now, to the point where I had the confidence to hop from stone to stone without having to fear tripping. It was fun, but quite dangerous nonetheless.

Then, after several minutes or so just walking, I was presented with a completely blocked path. A dead end, so to speak. I was going on in the same direction all this time. I guess I didn't really think about meeting a dead end. I also wasn't really paying that much attention to my surroundings that much, either. Well, beginner's mistake. More or less. I looked around. I was in the middle of two high, granite walls. It was more akin to a deep, dry river than anything.

If I could climb up, I would. The wall seemed climbable enough. Shouldn't be too hard. It's not that tall either. It was roughly about four jumps high. As I approached the wall, though, I felt fatigue wash over my body for a split second. The next thing I knew, I was on my knees, gasping desperately for air.

A short break wouldn't hurt, right? I sat and leaned against the dirty wall. It wasn't comfortable. I mean, almost every natural terrain isn't comfortable. I reached into the fruit bag. There was still a bit more fruit left for my journey back. If things go my way today, I may be able to come back home with one or two fruits. Depending on my mood, of course. I can be picky when it comes to unrestrained food choices. The fruits Roger and the others gave me were quite questionable. However, they were, in fact, doable.

As I have said before, as long as I can eat and live to tell the tale, I'm set. I took out a fruit. This particular fruit was oval in shape. It had a mix of red and yellow. Judging from the texture of it's skin, it wasn't a fruit that can be bitten immediately. I sighed. I reluctantly took out my sword. Apparently, my only weapon to defend myself with is also the only tool I have to peel these fruits with.

I sighed again in defeat. I should've asked for a pairing knife, or something that can do the job faster. Using a sword to peel off the fruit skins aren't as easy as one might think. The weight of the entire sword is pressed up against the light weight of the fruit, so it is difficult to even start off peeling.

However, it is not really the end of the world.

I walked on over to a huge piece of solid rock and laid my sword there. Using my left foot to step down on the handle helped the blade stay still. Now, it is perfectly prepped for peeling. In this state, the tip is too far for me to peel without having the risk of cutting myself up. So, I decided to use the part of the blade that is relatively close to the hilt.

And, in just a few minutes, the fruit is finally fully peeled and ready for eating. The aroma took over the entirety of my sense of smell as it's sweetness clouded my mind. However, I still do not know the name of this particular fruit. Eh, if me and Roger ever meet again, I'll ask him. If we ever meet, that is.

I returned to my position I was in before. I sat and leaned on the uncomfortable stone wall, set off my items aside, and began chowing down the fruit.

Though I have absolutely no idea on what this fruit is, it is still really delicious. It has a unique but sweet taste that overrides your taste buds. The after taste is also pleasant. The fruit itself is indeed delicious. However, the fact now stands that the way one should eat this is not with bare hands. It's juices got all over me as I indulged in it's scrumptious taste. What's more, it's that the juices also get sticky after a while.

As a person who likes to be clean, this wasn't in my comfort zone. In fact, I am very far from my comfort zone. Literally and metaphorically.

I stood up from where I sat and looked around again. Now, I am certain that I can make that climb. But before I could even begin, an earthquake struck from where I stood.

My entire surroundings shook violently. The walls that were sandwiching me in between them were closing in. I looked to my left. I knew there was only one way out.

I took my blade and began running as fast as my legs could carry me. Slowly, the walls were narrowing as I desperately reached for the exit.

I wasn't going to die in a place where I just arrived. No. Fate was actually kinder to me today that it ever was. Well, as kind as it could possibly get, anyways. Me dying in Totentaff would not bode well. I know that.

As fortunate as I may be, I managed to outrun the crushing walls. I stopped to take a breather. It was another near death experience. A type of experience that would, time and time again, be planted into both my heart and mind for the rest of my life.

I looked up to the walls that are now joined together. Conveniently, the converged walls formed a direct path to the main part of the mountain. I smiled at this realization.

I ran up towards the wall and began scaling it. It took me about two minutes to reach the top. Again, it was rather a short wall to begin with. Now, I began making my way up.

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It was noon.

Fortunately, the Sun's blazing heat was nullified by the mountain, for I am currently in a cave. This area of Totemtaff, from what I can observe, was formerly a mining spot. Carts that are fillied to the brim with gems and other precious ores are abandoned for how many years to the point where the carts were no longer in the railings. Some, almost all of the carts are lying on their sides. Their contents spilled and became one with the earth they used to be a part of.

It's kind of sad to think about actually. Forcibly taken away from where you belong, bringing you far beyond the place you once was used to, only to be returned without prior knowledge and finding out that the place you once used to be so familiar with won't accept you. Even when who you are didn't change a bit.

When you leave things as they were, but when you returned they changed entirely. Sometimes fate forgets the saying, "Everything changes, but ever so slightly.". Even the world doesn't follow it's own words. It just magically decides if you're fortunate or not if it feels like it. Which is, after all, a big gambling game.

Like right now. What father tasked me to do is a big gamble on it's own. How does he expect to find something he lost **long** ago and expect it to be there? How does he expect **me** to think about how I can find this pendant? It's almost ridiculous if one could think about it for a while.

This could take a few weeks, and maybe even several months to truly find that one pendant that is so precious to both my father and mother.

At least, when I am through with this, I am honoring mother's memory. Ah, yes, finally. Yet another time where mother's memory actually comforted me. I think it was about time I repaid her considerable amount of kindness to both me and my father. She was, as my memory would suggest, a perfect mother.

Sometimes I hate fate. Sometimes I would love fate. My heart isn't always very decisive when it comes to these particular matters. Where conflicting ideas would often times give me difficulty in which I would be in favor of.

Never would I have thought I would lose the figure that I call my own mother so soon in my life. If she was alive and well today, then our lives would be better tenfold. Maybe even a hundredfold. No, scratch that. It would definitely be better a hundredfold. But no. That did not happen. 6 long years of pain and misery, how much longer now?

I have spent the last 6 hours searching for that blasted pendant. Of course, as stupid as I can be sometimes, I trekked back down to the bottom to look for it there. From there, I gradually made my way up, and finally to where I am right now.

Truly, this was going to take a lot of time.

"You hear report?" "Yeah, human walking around Totemtaff." I could hear rough voices echoing from the cave walls. They were coming closer. The ground shook very lightly as they approached. I took cover behind an abandoned cart and covered my mouth in anticipation. "We have to find human. Human may be miner." "Yes! Bears don't want miners in Totemtaff!" I peeked from the hole of the cart. The voices belonged to two bear soldiers.

As expected from the bears, they look tough and they are tall. They use boulders as weapons for the Sun's sake. Though despite their incredible size and strength, I doubt for their speed. Though one was holding a fish. A FISH!

Both bears walked right past me, not even suspecting that I would be hiding behind on of the carts.

"What we do if we find human, Dagger?" "Hmph! We kick human butt!" As their voices faded as they walked away, I revealed myself to no one as I removed my hand from my mouth. I sighed in relief. But relief shouldn't come at this moment. I should only feel relief once I find that pendant.

Looks like the bears are still affected after all this time. Considering my parents said this issue has been around for decades, it was surprising that the bears would still hold a grudge until today.

If there is a bear that is wise enough to understand, then please, fate, show me that bear. That bear that would think this grudge is nothing more than a mere hindrance for their own kind.

Right now, I am left with two choices. Either I follow the bears and hopefully the pendant will show itself, or scout around a bit more. I would've chosen the former simply because, hell, even I am bored at this place. I mean, the place _is_ beautiful, not gonna lie, but even I could get tired looking at the same gems and dirt walls all day. It's just noon and I'm already clawing at my face out of boredom.

However, the thought that reminded me of my duty and my purpose for coming here in the first place echoed through the recesses of my mind until I snapped out of it. I needed to focus if I was ever going to find this pendant.

I walked on over to the direction they came from. If there was a bear village, then maybe the pendant would be there. There was a high chance that some bears would take notice of the masterfully carved wooden pendant. Those two bear soldiers hand accessories, so that had to be the case.

After a few minutes, I was sure that I was far away from those bear soldiers from a while back. If those guys were patrolling the area, then they're not actually doing a good job at it. More fortunately, is that the more bears I see, the more accessories they have. I was getting closer to the pendant. Hopefully getting closer. As what would one expect, I hid behind a cart every time I knew a bear was coming. But on an unfortunate side not, the more I ventured into their territory, the wooden carts were becoming rarer. So hiding was now more difficult than it ever was.

My luck will soon run out. Eventually.

As I ventured deeper, I always had one eye on the ground for the pendant and one eye for incoming danger. It wasn't as easy as I have first thought it would be. I got used to it real quick, though. Then, something caught my eye. I stumbled on a massive chunk of gem stone. It was huge. Like a cave mouth type of huge. More accurately, three times my size kind of huge. "The bigger it was, the more finer and prettier the gems" said a merchant from my father's escapades.

It was my father's dream to encounter a huge ore like this one. "It would be a glamorous sight. Truly." He would be envious if he knew what I was doing right now. I approached the big chunk. It was like an expensive mirror. Though, the reflection was not as smooth as it was. The gems, on the other hand, are smoother. It was like touching a wet glass pane.

Suddenly, I heard burrowing behind me. The, supposedly, rocks were wiggling about. Like 10 of them were emerging from the ground like worms. The dirt scattered as the creatures revealed what they were. Little crab things with rock hard shells. Literally. Shells made with rock. Then, another trembling. The sound of rolling boulders came my way as I looked up and found out that I was under a massive shadow. Something was falling. Falling on top of me.

Realizing this, I dove to my left, narrowly dodging the falling rock. As the dust cleared around me, this was yet another crab. A crab with a shell made of rocks. This time, it was lined with gems. It raised it's pincer, then proceeded to slam it to the ground. It created a massive shock wave that almost made me lose my balance. Huh, looks like the trekking was useful after all. It wanted me to leave. But, knowing me, I know I wouldn't leave any time sooner. Not until I find that pendant.

I stood my ground and unsheathed the blade with my left hand. I was surprised to find the weight of the blade was gone. Even though the entirety of the blade is still intact, I was more intrigued at the fact that I got used to it.

Well then, here goes.

The giant crab charged at me, it's giant pincer raised above it's top shell. Along with it's assault, came the little ones, rolling like balls towards me. The little crabs caught too much speed and could not control their own attack. A small step to either direction would have one of them flying and hitting the cave wall, sounding a satisfying thump that would later be a symphony of thumps. The giant crab, however, was not like any creature I encountered before. Usually mindless, this crab was cunning. It was patient. It was smarter than a normal predator. What I was facing was not what I expected it to be. It was on par with me. Something I never thought would be possible.

I slashed downward, the blade only scratched it's shell. It returned wind with a side slap with it's pincer. It sent me flying. My back hit the stone wall. Memories of Roger's enraged state flooded back to me like a good old time. But this wasn't exactly what you would call a good time. Far from it. The pain ached as I tried to stand up. I was barely managing to keep on my own two feet.

It charged at me again. This time, faster than any of those tiny crabs could. It was gaining speed. I painfully jumped to the right, the force of the impact was incredibly powerful. If that managed to catch me, then I would've been goners.

The collision was so strong that it made cracks on the wall up to the ceiling. The cracks continued until it reached the gem ore in the middle of the passageway. The gem ore was untouched. However, what happened next was truly unforgettable.

The giant crab faced me and slammed it's pincer at the ground. Again, emitting a moving shock wave. Though it was weaker, another earthquake came. What is it with Totemtaff and earthquakes now that I was here? As the earthquake began to become stronger, the gem ore begun to move. Slowly, it detached itself from the wall and showed it's true nature. A humongous golem. It's tusks were as old as it's gems. The entirety of it's back is now just gems. Beautiful and stunning, but imposing nonetheless.

The sight of the golem made even the giant crab tremble in fear, as it scattered and rolled away along with it's companions. I turned back at the giant thing. It's beady eyes were now eyeing me. It approached me. It's steps were akin to mini quakes all on their own. It lowered it's head down and it's eyes met mine. The gems on it's eyes glowed as it roared. It even had glimpses of soul energy as the gems glowed. It decided to ignore me and walked away.

Looks like I have to take the path back.

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After thoroughly searching the entire mountain, I made my descent. The new plan was going down to the bottom of the damn mountain and start searching from there. Guess I am stuck here for the next weeks or so. It was already late afternoon, so I was very exhausted.

However, fate had something else in mind.

"There! Human!" a familiar sounding voice yelled in the distance. "Aha! So there **is** human in Totemtaff! Get him, Furygrowl!" I was hearing war cries somewhere. I turned around and saw the two bear soldiers I saw hours ago. "What is human business in Totemtaff?!" said the more dressed soldier. His companion only had shorts that covered his entire lower half while this bear, who was wielding a fish for some reason, had a cloth that hung from his left shoulder and some sort of headdress. "Uh... I am looking for a pendant..." "Pendant...? Furygrowl, what he mean by 'pendant'?" he asked his companion, who was named Furygrowl. He bore a confused look before answering, "I have no idea, Dagger...".

So, now I know their names from their exchange alone.

"Doesn't matter!" Dagger said with a defiant look on his face. "You! Leave Totemtaff now!" he pointed his finger at me. Though I was obliged to leave, I did not want to. What I was looking for is right there, in front of me. The same wood carved pendant was wrapped around the bear's right wrist. "Oh, there it is." I nonchalantly said as I pointed at the pendant. "Oh? This? This is pendant? I thought it was wrist thing." "So can I have it...?" I asked. However, what I got instead were hysterical laughs from both bears. So hysterical, in fact, it made me chuckle. "But I found it first. So thing is mine." "Ah, but it belongs to me. So that thing is mine." "No, thing is mine. Dagger found it first." "No, I lost it, so it is still mine."

This conversation continued for about a while. It was a test to see which one was stubborn. The fact that he isn't the one who made it still hasn't made it to his thick skull yet. Me, on the other hand, was getting quite impatient.

"You know what?" "What?" "I'm just going to take it." I was hoping he couldn't process what I meant by at least 5 seconds. It only took him 2 seconds. A bit longer would've been better. He held my head back, as he stood quite taller than me. "I don't think human know what he's doing..." he lamented. I calmly removed his hand from my head with my right hand and answered, "I am fully aware of what I am doing..."

Our eyes met with blazing fury. Then, it all happened so quickly. I drew my sword and the next thing I knew was the sound of steels clashing and the both of us were at a reasonable distance towards each other.

I was now fighting with a bear.

He jumped at me. I quickly rolled to the side, dodging his strike. I had to give it to him, though. That single chop with the fish damaged the earth. He was fast too. I had to last without resorting to the curse. Which, right now, was pulsing with pain as usual. If I were to be strong, I needed to face this guy with just my strength.

"Huh..." I smirked as the realization kicked in. He is a bit slow when it comes to thinking. I angled my foot and dashed forward, delivering a swift strike to his left arm. "Argh!" he roared in pain. I jumped backwards as his retaliate just barely missed. He jumped again, he missed strike. He spun. The spin attack barely managed to scratch my left cheek. It was somehow bleeding. But it was only a minor cut. Nothing too serious. Again and again, he would attack but would miss every time. After a while, he slowed down. His attack power wasn't present anymore. He was exhausted. "Why won't you attack...?" he said, panting in between swings that were mildly even deadly. I lightly shoved his body and down he went. Unconscious.

Furygrowl was still there, actually. I completely forget he was there. "Looks like your friend needs to think more." He could only nod as he watched his friend sleep on the gravel. I knelt down on his right side and took up his hand. "Don't mind if I take this..." I said as I untied the pendant from his wrist and proceeded to wear it. It was a perfect fit. Too bad it was slightly worn out.

"I guess I'll see you later, then..." I bid Furygrowl farewell as I took on the descent.

This time, with a huge smile on my face. 

Little did I know that smile would be wiped off three days later...


	9. Chapter 9: Chasing The Dawn

It was afternoon...

3 days have already past. The pendant that father treasures so much is now resting around my neck. It was now a quite comfy afternoon. The Sun wasn't so harsh on me today, and I've also picked up a few fruits along the way. For the past few days, my diet has consisted of nothing but fruits. One would think that by now, I could be craving for meat.

And that is especially true. Even just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Now that I realize it, I haven't been drinking much water recently, too. Should've brought a canteen, or something. I also should've thought of this through before even continuing my journey. Ah, well. I'm still alive. So, it doesn't really matter. What happened happened. And it should stay that way.

I wish I could say it out loud.

But, as of right now, I am in familiar territory. The questionable experience I had in Totemtaff sure was a change of pace. It's not too bad to spice up your life once in a while, right?

I was walking under the Sun, the hood of my cloak over my head. My skin was beginning to become darker. I also needed a bath. This, coupled with a dry mouth, made for a really uncomfortable sensation running through my body.

And as if fate wasn't at all kinder to me than when I was at Totemtaff, the sound of a river stream flooded my ears at it broke the continuous sound of my walk. It came from my right. Soon, I found myself sprinting in that direction. Like a dog running up to greet it's master.

Heh, kind of like Koll, actually.

I wonder what they are doing right now. Probably somewhere in Paradise Prairie still. They seem to be more familiar and more knowledgeable about the region than I am. And that's saying a lot considering I've been here my whole life. Father wasn't usually the type of person who would go out and explore. He was constantly in his comfort zone. Up and about, sowing and reaping crops for actually a better price. Somehow, even after all these years, he wasn't bored of this tedious process. He didn't allow me to go to places I have never been to before. Except, of course, this week.

I only managed to go to the Sun Capitol only once, and even then we were there just for a festival. I could not remember the exact reason of the festival. I could barely even remember it, though. Everyone lined up on the main road, soldiers acting as barricades to prevent any chaotic activity. Somehow, I remember the king was quite happy. I did not know why, though. As I've said, I completely forgot about the whole thing. In retrospect, father didn't actually provide me an explanation. Or did I forget that, too? All could remember was everyone cheering a very name. A name that I don't even remember.

At this point, I was frustrated at myself. Forgetting memories like that like they're disposable.

As I was running as if my life depended on it, there I found a promising river. A clean, uninhabited river that was literally in the middle of nowhere. This was an opportunity. Obviously, I took it.

I took off most of my clothing, leaving my loin cloth on for obvious reasons, and proceeded to jump straight into the river with no actual thought. The cool water was a refresher. It's been almost a week since my last bath anyways, so it really did help. I scrubbed my body as well as I could.

As I was cleaning myself, I heard footsteps. Although, they weren't as normal as one would imagine. They were erratic, unpredictable. As if the person was stumbling about. I looked around, but found no one. I continued cleaning myself. But, the foot steps continued. I looked around again, then found a brown haired girl, just on the riverbank. I could feel my face flare up in embarrassment. I wanted to scream, but that would be too girly, yes? All I could do was stare at her. I was in total shock. Really. I didn't really think about **anyone** coming over here. Was I too loud? However, the embarrassment faded as I realized what she was doing.

She was just standing there. She didn't even react to me taking a bath. Her body was slumped, as if struggling to even stand. She walked to the right. Her body's entire weight followed her. She walked to the left and still, her body reacted the same. She could not control it. I narrowed my eyes to see her better.

She had her eyes closed.

Is she sleepwalking...?

I got out of the water as quietly as I possibly could and put on my clothes. I wanted to wash these, but right now, it'll have to wait. I approached her.

"Hey..." I said with a hand out. She just stood there. If she could hear me, she would react. Realizing she would not shake my hand, I retracted it. "Hello...?". Still. No response whatsoever. I began scratching my head, thinking of ways to at least communicate with her.

From the looks of it, she really _is_ sleeping. Silence took over the prairie and I could hear her soft, slow breathing. Suddenly, as if she were a untamed beast, she leapt at me and landed just inches apart from my face. Her face wasn't holding any expression and emotion, as expected from someone who is slumbering the whole time. Then, after a few seconds, she jumped back.

This is truly an uncommon sight. I never knew anyone likes this. Although, I doubt _anyone_ would know a person such as this. However, despite the peculiar encounter, I could still feel something coming off of her. Like a fragrance you cannot smell.

I can feel it.

The way her soul energy flowed. It wasn't entirely normal, to say the least. And yes, I feel soul energies. Everyone does. In fact, even a normal person would feel soul energy. Anyways, hers was on a different plane. Something was messing with her energy flow.

At this juncture, I wasn't sure what to do, but I sure as hell want to live. I unsheathed my sword. The sound made her head perk up.

So she _can_ hear stuff. Good to know.

Her left hand moved behind her back. Shortly after, she brought out a puppet. A single handed stringed marionette tied unto two overlapping sticks. If that were her weapon, then stuff is about to go crazy.

She raised her hand, the puppet moved. However, it wasn't like any other. The strings and the marionette itself moved very strangely. As the puppet approached me, I felt a very strong soul force that made me fall unto my knees. I suddenly became short in breath.

Why!?

Why am I still this weak!?

I look up to her, the puppet returning to it's master. And there I saw it. A faint darkness. Though, not as same as mine, but it was still darkness. This wasn't a human.

No...

She is something far worse...

She was a monster. More or less...

I strengthened my will and stood up, ignoring the very pain I am experiencing. She swipes her paddles and the marionette follows. I ducked and jumped backwards. I wasn't able to follow the threads that came out. For the next attack, I am certain that I am able to register a counter attack. She thrusts her sticks forward, her body lumping toward the same direction.

I know it, now. Two seconds. Two seconds was all that it took. After her thrust, the puppet came flying to me two seconds later. The threads loosen as the puppet reached peak speed. I could barely see it, but my body moved as I saw. Stepping to the right, I slashed upwards from the right side of my body to the left. The puppet missed it's target as my blade sliced through the threads, separating the puppet from the puppeteer. The puppet itself was sent flying a few meters away from me.

She was now unarmed. She flailed around the control paddles, but alas, her efforts were meaningless. She had nothing else to defend herself with. She was no longer a threat. I sheathed my sword. There was no more reason for it to be drawn out after this. If she was prepared, I would expect her to have a back up puppet. But that wasn't the case, at all. She frantically looked for an extra, somewhere, anywhere on her body. But alas, there was none.

Then, she stopped moving. She knelt on the ground as her breathing became louder. It wasn't snoring, though. Just some deep breaths you can hear. "Ugh..." she groaned. I took a step back and held my sword tightly. I'm not taking any risks. She's as deadly as she is unpredictable. "Ah... Who... Who are you...?" she calmly said as she rubbed her eyes. "Me...?" I said, taking one more step back. She looked around, with rather a curious look on her face before asking, "Where... am I?" "You're in Paradise Prairie... where else?" "Um... where exactly...? And what time of the year is it...?" It seems she is clueless as to where and how she got into this mess of a situation that she and I are currently in.

However, I would still answer all these questions of hers. I mean, I am nearing my home, so there is no pressure or anything. More importantly, who in the world _is_ this woman? "Hmm..." I looked around. We were practically in the middle of nowhere. Not exactly, nowhere, but a place that is really unspecified. I can't even recognize the mountains and the plains, yet. How ironic. "Uh..." I mumbled, filling in the silence as I tried to muster an answer. "Uh... near Corona...?" I'm at my wit's end here. "Corona, huh..." she said, with a rather bored tone.

It would be an insult, in my opinion. Considering how she tried to kill me a while ago. In her sleep. With a puppet, on top of that. All things in mind, however, she doesn't look as harmful as she was sleeping. Her facial expression alone and her clueless mind made it clear that she wasn't truly aware on what she was doing. "So... what time of the year, is it...?" "Probably Fire month..." I nonchalantly said. It has been a while since I've looked at a calendar. But, just as I am familiar with the seasons, I am quite certain that it is the case. "F-FIRE MONTH!?" I was taken back by her sudden change in both tone and expression.

Truly, this woman is indeed unpredictable.

Nevertheless, she seemed more relieved than shocked. She sighed as she put on a smile. "Thank you... Now, could you please direct me to Corona...?" There wasn't much I could do. I am going there myself. I'm planning to stop by, see if the bandits are still there. Also having someone accompany you is nice. I never met someone as close to human since how many days. "How about I accompany you?" "Really? How great!" I ignored what she said and started walking towards Corona's direction. "Oh wait!" she stopped me. "You didn't answer my question, yet..." I raised an eyebrow. "And what was that, again...?" "Your name..." "Roxas... Roxas Alderan Von Zayne."

She smiled again and bowed, saying "Nolva Carpenter, at your accord..."

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"Oh... So, you're still human?"

"Yes. Ever since I met Dr. Aosta, I found out that I wasn't all alone."

So, this woman. A survivor of Atlas and someone who also has another one as a part of her. And here I thought I was the only one who had another personality. The words "Dr. Aosta" rung several bells in my head. Aosta, as in, _the_ Aosta Clovis. The very same person who tried to kidnap me because of me, somehow, tampering with his creation and how I naturally had an extraordinary aspect within me, was thanked by this woman. And here I thought he was a psychopath, bent on research and studies.

"Waverlyde, I'm his first friend and he ensures my safety every time I fall asleep..."

"So, this being has a name?" I asked. She giggled, replying, "I named him. I said to myself ,'Why not give him a name?' Did you name yours, too?" "I never actually thought about it. Still, I doubt he would agree to it..."

We were talking the whole way to Corona. All we had to talk about were our own selves. How we differed from everybody. How we had somebodies living in our bodies. It's nice having someone who understands. Although I find it quite off for her to be this open towards me. We only met a few hours ago and she is this open about virtually anything and everything in her understanding. The Sun was setting and dusk was near it's peak. "Ah... It's been a while since I seen the Sun set..." "Huh? Really?" It was strange, really. Everyone sees the Sun set. She nodded, rather solemnly. The look on her eyes were genuine. She misses this view. All I could do was embrace the silence it brought.

After what I felt like three hours of talking, we parted ways at the gates of Corona. "I hope fate is kind enough for us to meet again, Roxas. It was nice having you." she said as she turned around and walked away, up to the main market. It was so long since I heard someone was happy to have me as their company. It was a nice feeling. She was a nice girl, but I know for a fact that fate wouldn't let me meet her again.

She jinxed it for us both...

I decided to stop by St. Paula's for a while, see what she was up to. I might as well report to her what happened to me the past week since she last visited me and my father. It's good to catch up with people you care about.

Ever since the curse acted up on the both of us, St. Paula has always been there for the two of us. She was almost like an aunt I never had. Even if the Saint was just a title, she would already deliver. She would always be there for the curse when it would act up uncontrollably. Without her, maybe I would've died and our bloodline would've ended there. But, as much of a blessing as it would sound, this very bloodline was the thing that caused my family so much pain.

Emotional, physical, and mental agony. All because grandfather was foolish enough to consume, whatever the hell this curse first form was.

I never actually known why and how my mother died. It was something I do not want to know nor talk about. Call me coward, but I don't want to suffer again. Losing someone was bad enough, but having it repeat inside your own head was practically torture.

I went through the usual streets and turns to St. Paula's Facility of Cleansing. The usual path there. Speaking of visiting St. Paula, it has been a while since I had seen Marcus. He's probably in the Academy than anything. Either carrying out tasks or simply studying magic. Not that magic was ever my forté. I wouldn't think of being in that sort of place. Not that it would be nice, but if learning there required money, then I can't really fulfill that.

Aside from those, there's nothing I could do in ever actively seeking out that freak of a messenger. It's too much of a hassle, and frankly, I'm glad that both of us went on with our separate paths. But, I know for a fact that soon enough, these thoughts would come again and bite me in the ass.

And, low and behold, Saint Paula's Facility of Cleansing was nowhere to be found. All that was left was burnt ground and the scent of raw chemicals. As much as I do not want to believe it, it was there, making me believe it was true. I know for a fact that she wouldn't just die. But she did. She was there. In front of my very own eyes. Her once majestic white robes were now covered in ashes and possibly even the very liquids that helped me. I couldn't even have the bravery to walk up to her. It wasn't at all fair.

It was totally unfair.

I wanted to apologize for being so passive towards her last time. I wanted to thank her for being there when no one else could come to our aid. I wanted to make it out to her for not talking to her. But, right now, there was nothing I could do. As tears formed in my eyes, I finally had the audacity to move. I will give her a proper burial. However, even as simple and noble as burying the ones you care about would not be given to me today, as the moment I laid a finger on her body, she became ash as her being traveled to the sky. Her robes were left there. The same glorious robes that healed me, time and time again.

I took the robes, went to the nearest river, and washed them. It was the only thing I could do for St. Paula. I was desperate for justice, but right now, justice cannot be served. Not now, but soon. I wiped off the tears off of my face, took off my cloak and wore her very robes. Light emanated from the very cloth and formed a sharp hood over my face. If this was a gift from her, then I will accept it with the entirety of my well being. 

At this point, I had nowhere to go. Nowhere but home... 

Father, your son is coming...

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There it was, just beyond the hillside, a small hut that were suited for a family of three. Was a family of three. Anyways, I slowly walked towards the house as the moon light was brighter than before. Brighter than it ever glowed. How come? Is it honoring her death? I hope so.

I approached our main door. A glint of nostalgia rushed towards me for a split second. As I grabbed the handle, I could hear something coming from my left hear. It came from the field. Creaking of wood and the howling of the wind.

I leaned on over and saw my father, overlooking the field on his father's rocking chair in front of the bright full moon. What's interesting was whatever father planted, they grew and glowed brightly. Of course, these weren't pumpkin seeds, I knew that. But to think he would spend money on extravagant flowers and plant it on the very field we use to plant food, I find it extremely difficult to believe.

These weren't marigolds, Sun flowers, or even roses. These were Dawnchasers.

I went down unto the field, father still rocking on the chair. The creaking became deafening fast.

"Father... What is the meaning of this...?" I asked him. He looked at me with a shocked expression. "That robe... Is Paula...?" "Yes, She's..." I mouth suddenly went dry. "...in a better place." "Ah, I guess she will have company soon..."

He stood up and bended over. The crystalline growths on his body became more evident as he retrieved what he got from the ground. His shirt tore and ripped into pieces as his monstrous carapace overtook his entire left arm and upper body, almost taking his face in the process. As horrifying as it would seem, the moonlight bended to his carapaces' will and emitted a light, purple hue over the Dawnchasers. The flowers, on the other hand, glowed even brighter as they illuminated the ground below. He grasps the family scythe in hand and turns to me.

"Father, please. You don't have to do this..." I pleaded hopelessly. But, fate wanted blood tonight. "I'm sorry, Roxas, my dear beloved son, but it's either you or me..."

He held the scythe firmly and raised it above his head. I was forced to draw my sword. However, I drew it with my left hand. I didn't want to take his life with the curse he lived so long to suffer with, but his eyes were hellbent in taking me down. I saw a single tear drop from his right, bloodshot eye and whimpered, "Forgive me, Roselia..."

He charged at me with incredible speed, ensuring a clean cut from my shoulder to my lower hip. Blood poured out of me before stepping back. I coughed out the blood and remained on the move. The pain was great, but my will was greater. I rush to my right, dodging both scythe strikes with relative ease before slicing up, almost separating his left arm from his body. This slash caused my father to stagger backwards. I planted my right foot on the ground before using it to propel my body, thrusting my sword unto his left side. I felt the sword pass through his body as he screamed. I sliced to the right, making the wound greater, spilling a generous amount of blood. This caused him to fall. However, it only took six seconds before he sliced upwards, managing to barely scratch my chin. If I was a bit more forward, I would've gotten a scythe driven unto my skull. I brought down the sword, allowing my strength and gravity to empower my slash. He, somehow, managed to jump back. The slash sliced through the Dawnchasers as their petals glowed and flew into the air. And, like father like son, we spat blood as we stared into each other. "We... shouldn't do this..." I groaned. The pain echoed through my body as my vision faded. No! Not now, not right now! I cannot die! I felt another sharp pain, on my left shoulder. I yelped in pain. Of course, having a scythe driven unto your shoulder would be excruciating. I look up, father was already standing.

 _"Roxas... You already know how this song and dance ends..."_

I could barely move my left arm. Let alone move at all. I looked to my very left, there laid my sword. "I will be free..." father said. Darkness and fading colors entered my vision as I felt another pain unto my head. I found myself right next to my sword. I was kicked hard. Really hard. "This curse shall end tonight..." I desperately reached for my sword. "Goodbye, son..." I saw him raise the scythe, again. But, unfortunately for my dear father, I held the sword tightly with my right hand. Darkness seeped through my wounds and unto my blade. "What...?" I answered him with a blade to his thigh. He fell to his knees as the dark energy absorbed his blood. Cruelly healing my wounds, rejuvenating my body. "How...? What!? Why!?" my father cried as he coughed blood. He stood up and sliced downwards, I really felt the weight of his swing. I caught the blade, but it wasn't at all pleasant to feel. The very scythe pierced and sliced through my palm, however, there the blade was stuck. I plunged the sword into his lower neck, just above the collar bone. I shed a single tear as I kicked him back, removing the scythe blade from my hand in the process. My blade rendered his blood and transfused it into my own, healing the hole in my hand almost instantly.

There, it ended. Father was lying down, blood escaping his body. I threw down the blade, my body felt heavier but I didn't mind, as I rushed towards my father. "Father... How could I...?" tears formed on my eyes as he placed his bloodied hands on my cheek. My heart became heavy as regret was being burnt into my mind and body. "You... did me... a big favor..." "I didn't! I outright murdered you!" "No, son... I tried to murder you... son... I feel lighter..." he was now on the brink of death. His hand left my cheek as his fingers held the pendant I desperately searched Totemtaff for. "Ah... so you... did it..." he smiled from cheek to cheek as his tears flowed endlessly. I held his bloody hand as tightly as I could. "Father... Don't leave me!" I was now weeping. My words muffled by my tears. "Oh... How I... loved you... and your mother... I can never..." as his last breath escaped, so did his last words, "...leave you..."

His eyes no longer had life, his hands became colder and paler as the Dawnchasers bloomed and the Sun rise vanquished the night and expelled the moon.

Under the heat of the morning sun, I spoke with a bated breath and a teary eye... 

"Liar..."


	10. Chapter 10: A New Dawn

The dawn was hot, but my tears were colder...

I held the family scythe on my left and my blade on my right. I gazed upon the ditch on the ground, the soon to be grave of my father. I took off the pendant from my neck. I stared at it. I did not know why, but somehow, I now hated the sight of this pendant. The aching, gut feeling was overwhelming my senses. Hatred melted away reason as I felt the area around my neck heat up. "Why...?" I murmured under the Sun's heat as I clenched the pendant tightly with my right hand.

I drove the scythe down into the hole I've made just above his grave. If anything could be his gravestone, it would be the same tool he used all his life. I sheathed my blade and laid it down beside me. I turned to my right and grabbed the shovel and bury my father for good. I kept quiet as the sound of the shovel and the dirt filled the sky. There wasn't much to think. Just some negativity flowing through my mind like a river stream. I constantly shook my head as I threw in more dirt.

Regret was all I could think of. How much I regretted coming back. How much I hated being his son. How much I hated myself for killing him. Maybe, if I could've reasoned it out, just maybe we both could've gotten out alive that night. Although, that very hope didn't exactly showed itself last night. Instead, we succumbed to our own grave actions.

I laughed at myself. Then, I felt tears well up on my eyes. "Dammit... DAMMIT!" I slammed the shovel unto the dirt, away from his tomb. He was now buried. I knelt down and gave off one last prayer to the sky. I prayed in silence.

For this would be the last moment family would experience.

I walked up and wrapped the pendant around the scythe's blade. I made sure it wouldn't break when I wrapped it, though. I took a step back and took in the sight before me. Then, it hit me. I almost forgot to write an epitaph. I went into the house and grabbed a considerably large piece of wood. I rummaged through the drawers to find father's carving knife. Then, slowly but surely, I carved out his name and one phrase. I went outside and took out the mallet and some nails.

I went to his grave and took out the scythe. I placed it down unto the ground, prepping it for nailing. Fortunately, the handle was thick enough for a whole nail to pass through. After four, maybe seven strikes, the epitaph was put firmly in place. I once again drove the scythe on the same spot above his grave.

Now, I took a step back. Taking in all of this great tragedy. On the epitaph, it said, " **Althalos Von Zayne. From Roselia and Roxas** " Then, I felt a tear drop from my face. It wasn't the first time I felt bad. I was accustomed to the feeling, of course. I didn't have my sunshine for several years. Dread in my heart was all I could feel, and father's cold attitude made it even worse. But, for this particular instance, everything, **EVERYTHING** I felt so far could not compare. Two, maybe five more teardrops fell from my face. Sorrow filled my heart, and it didn't stop. Not even when it was filled to the brim.

I stood up and whispered, "Farewell, dear father...". I looked around me. It was about time for a mid-day meal. Exhaustion and hunger seethed within me as I took my sword and swung it over my left shoulder. I looked at the small house. I was already old enough to look after myself. Although succumbing to a life of mediocrity and redundancy is something I do not intend to look forward to.

I laid down my sword beside the kitchen table and began picking whatever ingredients were available at the very moment. What I ended up with was a pretty good selection despite it's lack of quality. For now, these were the things I had to work with. I grabbed the flint and steel that my father was so conservative to use. Just by looking at it, I would guess that he never used this in his life. Ever. "Forgive me, father. Sometimes my ends justify my means." I said to myself as I lit the firewood under the brass pot.

I just can't help but wonder why the solemn atmosphere could drag on for so long. I know it's too early to ask why, but it just irritates me. Why does sorrow happen so frequently? Why must **my** life be so linear yet so tragic? A cold sweat ran at the side of my face as the very thought enveloped my mind.

I proceeded to search through the drawers again, only to find mother and father's personal stuff. Some letters that he once wrote to her, some relics, and a few chunks of crumpled parchment in between. I was shocked to not find mother's clothes at all. Was father too afraid of her memory? Memories hurt. That bit I know so well, but you can't truly forget her. You simply just can't. But what really caught my eye, though, was this really fresh letter. If you can smell the very ink that was used on the letter, then you'd know it was written not too long ago. This letter was found at the back of the most bottom drawer.

The reason why such a placement was done was beyond me, but it was a safer guess that what was written here must be kept secret. With no one to stop me, I began to read it. Although the writings are a mess, almost akin to gibberish mind you, I can barely make out the words.

The letter said:

 **"Dear Roxas,**

 **Hi, son. If you are reading this, then you have triumphed over me.** Triumphed? Wait... He doesn't mean...? **I apologize. Even through this very letter, I wouldn't be able to forgive even myself for what I had done. This feels odd. Really, it does. I am writing this before I decided to kill you.** What? So, he actually had intentions of ending my life then and there? Why!? I am his son! I am his only child! So, WHY!? **Now, now, I am gone. there's no need to be angry all of a sudden. You are, after all, reading this letter. But what I can give you, however, is a proper explanation. Do you remember St. Paula's visit?** Oh, father, don't remind me. Please, I have enough things to remind me of her as of now. Memories are painful. I hope you'd understand. **She bore ill news. I was overcome with cowardice, such I did not have the fortitude to even tell my own son. The news she told me, was that my time was running short. Our curse, the curse that your grandfather gave our bloodline, was killing me. Every night since our last purging, I found myself coughing up blood every morning before sun rise. I knew I wasn't well. That's why I went to her in secret. She found out that the only way to set me free was for you to raise your blade against me.** Right now, I couldn't believe what I was reading. Considering who my father was, a conservative one, it would seem that everything would make sense. But, did he actually wish to die by my own blade? **I wanted to end my own suffering. Now, as you are reading this, you will now carry the same burden me and my father had carried all our lives. I am sorry, Roxas, but that is the curse of bearing the name of "Von Zayne".**

 **With the entirety of my love, Althalos Von Zayne**

Well, even after this letter, my forgiveness is now beyond my giving. I could never imagine my father being selfish. Ever. He's been as loving as my mother. To think he would just give me his own pain like that? How could I ever look at his grave the same way as I did a few minutes ago? And his parting gift? The full blunt of the curse. I would soon feel what it's like to have crystals grow on your back. Soon, that is.

I turned around and noticed the pot at a boil. I hurriedly opened each drawer again, hoping to find any sign of seasoning in this damn house. Luckily, there was a small bag of salt that was lying just beneath the table. More or less, it probably fell from all my rummaging. After slicing up a few vegetables after rinsing them with water, I took out some of the remaining firewood. This is mother's signature vegetable stew. With my sloppy movements and a lack for flavor in cooking works, I doubt I'll be able to recreate what my mother does with all her heart. Though there is absolutely no harm in trying, right? Except maybe the possibility of burning down my own house, but that's too farfetched.

Blowing on the dying fire, reigniting it allowed for a more controlled slow cook. That's what my mother told me anyways. She would always talk to me while I watch her cook this very dish. Her words fill my mind as I throw in ingredient after ingredient. Grabbing a wooden spoon, I took a first sip of my concoction. My eyes widened, this doesn't taste as bad as I imagined it would be. On another note, I am more surprised that I am still alive after tasting that mediocre stuff I call a stew.

After several minutes of slow cooking, add more firewood, blow on the pyre, throw in the last batch of ingredients and seasonings, then bring up to a boil. I did exactly as I remember her say it. Then, as if I were in St. Paula's place, smoke was filling the house following the boil. I absolutely did not remember this. At all. All I could remember was my mother's head above the boiling soup and taking in the food's aroma. However, even when the smoke was blinding, I could still smell it. It was right about done. Hastily, I ran towards the fire and began dowsing it with whatever liquid was nearby. And let me make it clear, there was no water left after I used it on the stew.

Well, I guess my meal is now a disaster. The smoke cleared after a while. If one were to look outside, one would guess that my house was burning. Luckily, nothing caught on fire. Except maybe the letters and papers that were incinerated as soon as the flames touched them. Overall, I'm just really glad that my food survived that mess of a session.

Grabbing a bowl, I poured in the stew. I have to admit, it does seem rather peculiar that I got the aroma down in one go. I lifted the small bowl in front of me and began sipping the hot contents.

Not too bad, for a first timer. Although it needs a little bit more salt. Which, I'll be honest, I am too exhausted to get up and put in a pinch right now. I shrugged then began wolfing down the stew as if it were nothing.

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I stayed in the house for the whole afternoon. I just sat down at the kitchen table, blatantly staring at the dishes that have been waiting a while to be washed. But somehow, after all that had happened, I just didn't feel like moving a muscle.

Everything went so fast, and happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to reflect on everything, sit down and think about what could've went right and how I could've achieved those.

I rushed everything.

I knew I was on a time limit. Even my father said his time was ending. But I didn't want it to end like this. Selfish parent, that's what he is. Everything after my encounter with Roger was, as I've said, fast. How I met that giant golem, my confrontation with a bear, how Nolva was at the wrong place at the wrong time, how I found St. Paula's Facility of Cleansing was burnt to a crisp, and how I fought father under the bright full moon in a field of blooming Dawnchasers.

It all happened so quickly. It all slipped by my fingers all so suddenly.

Then, the next thing I knew, I was sitting in our house. Waiting. Waiting for what? Even that I do not know. I don't know what to do next. It was like meeting a dead end after a long maze and realize that you can never go back.

Is this despair...?

The Sun was now setting, it's orange rays are splitting against the left over wheat from last season. I raise my right hand, catching the rays in futility. Light slipping past my fingers. The sunshine beamed at the dirty bandages as the blood stains glowed in accordance with the Sun's radiance. It's light was now shining on my utensils. I guess it was about time I decide to wash them. I went out of the house and went at the very back, where the inventory was. Just beside the big box was a pale. Not too big, but can hold enough water to last one day if managed right.

Walking down the same path to the same river, as always. This nostalgia is not quite what I expected it to be. One might think that the memories of the olden days would come flooding back like children to their parents. But no. It's not like that. All I could feel was the aching feeling of lost. That, and what accompanied it was the dread that this may be the last time I did this. I wasn't sure whether or not to trust this, but with the things that had happened and the situation I am currently in, what choice do I have?

Nothing.

But, just as Fate has given me time and time again, somehow like a kind master of a certain house, grants me one escape. If ever this was a maze, then Fate would've given me a rope for a way out. I stopped on my tracks. It only ever took me one second to realize how beautiful the sight before me was.

The setting Sun on the horizon, it's shine being absorbed by the Dawnchasers like morning dew giving the flower's petals a certain beautiful golden glow. It was unreal. I couldn't believe my own eyes, really. I put and bucket down and crossed the grass towards the field. I knelt over and delicately caressed one Dawnchaser. It's reflected light was all too perfect.

That's when I realize that I could start over again. Live a new life. I hurriedly ran over to the pale and sprinted towards the river.

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For hours, I searched my entire house. My house? If I were crazy enough to call this inheritance, then it would be the case. After all, if I'm going to start over, I might as well get whatever things they left for me.

Even if it is unintentional.

Anyways, after all that rummaging, what I was left was a messy house. Well, as messy as it could possibly get anyway. The last time this place was extremely messy was Christmas years ago. Ever since then, we celebrated Christmas less and less. I'm not actually sure what month it is. I remember telling Nolva that we're already in the middle of Fire month, but I'm pretty damn sure that that truly isn't the case. Well, whatever. Whatever gut feeling I have in me is no longer a valid reason for trust. If anything, I'd have to look at life with a slower approach.

Rash decisions can certainly spell doom, if not minded.

I finally found what I was looking for. I can't believe father would go through all that trouble to hide one box of Dawnchaser seeds. I mean, how badly does one need to hide something? Honestly I never could've guessed that he literally tore down the floor boards and buried the box underneath the house.

Are these things really worth protecting? I remember that there's a whole field in Paradise Prairie that is filled with them and nothing but the flowers. At least, that's what mother told me. I do hope to see that one day. Wherever it may be, I do hope it's beautiful.

Who am I kidding? Of course the field would be beautiful. It should.

I opened the box. There were still plenty of the seeds left. These were my ticket to a brand new life. And maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have to draw this sword ever again.

Those who I known for for so long are now gone. There is only one thing left to do. I will honor their deaths and their sacrifices with my continued life.

This seed box was a blessing in disguise.

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Dinner last night was the same stew I made in noon. I was glad there was a bit left after my emotional crisis. I decided to once again search through my whole house. I knew it in my gut that I should've done the search last night, but I was overcome with fatigue and joy that I didn't even bother thinking about it until now.

It was now early Sun rise. The Dawnchasers on the open field were about as beautiful as any.

If there is a person in this continent who could match the beauty of these flowers, then please let me see her.

I couldn't sleep last night, though. I had too much to think.

I went out to the river. It was about time I washed my actual clothes. Luckily a few of father's clothes are still fresh. I'm a bit surprised, though. Father doing his own laundry isn't something I get to witness on a regular basis. Usually it would be me who would get up and clean them up for the both of us.

I wouldn't say him doing chores is a rare thing. The thing is, farming is sort of like a big chore. In it's own right. I mean, everyday you're tending to the fields like some sort of horrid automaton. Every single day of the year. Sure, there are some days that are merely for harvesting and waiting out Frost month, but most of the time it's just repetitive. So much repetition that it's not even funny anymore.

Even so, that's all through. None of that anymore. Although, with such tedium that it came at a steep cost. A costly subject that I was neither willing to pay nor was aware of the price. But, starting from now on, there was no need to look back and be gloomy. Today was a new beginning.

I went back to my house and got myself dressed in father's clothes. His stench is something I'll have to get used to from now on. I opened the lower most drawer beneath the bed and grabbed a coin purse. I caught what I now call my white robe near the door and headed out to Corona.

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The journey to Corona wasn't anything remarkable. A few changes here and there, slight details I may have caught on. Nevertheless, despite it being boring to some, I find walks alone fun. I understand how some people would think voyaging with someone or some people would drastically make the trip itself become more enjoyable. The time it would take from point A to point B would be shorter, time spent would be more memorable and every small talk, sight-seeing and everything else in between would become more and more special. I get it. But sometimes being alone in the right time in the right place can change everything. I've walked this path maybe a thousand times already. Assuredly, one would fall asleep immediately. The thoughts running through your head, the comfortable silence everything around you provides and the ever looming feeling of anticipation is what really gets my blood going.

As the sound of my sandals lightly kissing the ground repeatedly began to bore me, I raise my left ear, certain of what I heard in the distance. I ran up the same hill I used to ran up time and time again and there I was, overlooking the once destroyed Corona Village. Glad to see the sign is still intact after all this time.

I was greeted with normal faces as I approached the main plaza. Familiar faces here and there, but overall, pretty all right. I wonder if Roger and co. are still around and about. I'll just have to find out myself if Fate would provide me the opportunity.

I look around the plaza, quite confused as to where I'm going. Sometimes I stand in a certain spot, not being able to register a single thing that's around me. Basically, lose all of my senses for one second. Then, I remembered my plan. I opened the coin purse I got from that bottom drawer. I sat down on a bench near me and counted the curren inside. The purse actually had exactly one thousand curren.

Then I knew that this was already a great start.

I look around again, swearing to myself that I had seen that very booth before. Or was it a booth? Was it a shop? I don't really remember. I sometimes hate that my mind is always full of unnecessary junk that I find no use in whatsoever. I mean, I found out that dogs wag their tails when they're happy. I was told about this when I was five years of age by a very frill old man. It was in Corona, too. In the main plaza where everybody was celebrating some sort of festival. And here I am, can't even remember a shop I saw two months ago.

I try walking around the plaza, trying to at least get some glimpse of that shop. Despite this, however, I still find it somehow difficult. Not because of my poor memory, but because of the cluster of people swarming from every direction. I swear this feels like a bee hive more than anything else considering it's beginning to become cramped as one.

Eventually, I managed to find it. I never would've guessed that the shop was tucked away near the plaza entrance. I do have a blurry memory of a lowly booth in the middle of the plaza. Oh well, at least I've found what I set out to find.

I was more intrigued that it now had a sign above all else. It was just **"Flower Shop"** if I truly remember correctly. But now, it says **"Carrie's Flower Shop"**. Without much hesitation, I pulled back the hood of my robe and went inside.

Inside, I was stunned by the wide array of flowers. They all smelled wonderful, as with flowers. Each petal caught my eye as not one was boring nor out of place. It was like a chaotic symphony that blended rather perfectly. Almost like life, actually.

The shop itself is quite on the boring side, to say the least. Just normal wooden works, a little bit of carvings here and there. The usual stuff. I'm not gonna lie, but it does lack quite a bit of space. The flowers kinda get in your face, if you want to put it that way.

"Oh, a customer...?" a low voice echoed from the back. It was a familiar voice. I went in further, curious as to whom the voice belonged to. Low and behold, it wasn't even one day and there we were, face to face again. "Roxas...?" Nolva said, her eyes were sparkling in excitement though her voice was not. "Nolva? You work here?" I asked. She nodded as an answer. I truly did not expect her to be in this place. I do remember her telling me that she was a puppet craftswoman. Didn't think she would step foot in a place like this. A place that has nothing to do with shaping wood, painting wood, and controlling wood. Or the smell of wood for that matter. "Uhm... so... what can I do for you...?" she timidly asked, her face flushed in her own hands.

I have to admit. She does look pretty cute.

I gulped in that thought before answering as a sole sweat dripped from the side of my face. "Uhh... Right. How can I say this? Uhm, can I ask for flower pots?" She perked her head up at me, her slightly confused look made me sweat even more. "Flower... pots?" she tilted her head while simultaneously raising her eye brow. "Yes. Can I buy some flower pots?" I asked again. This time I made my voice slightly more submissive. I didn't wanna sound like a total jerk, demanding flower pots. "Hmmm..." she thought about it for a moment. "I don't think I may be able to sell you those, Roxas." Of course. One can't just simply go to a flower shop and straight up ask for pots. "There are some over by that shop over there..." she pointed the shop parallel to where we are. However, I'm not just here simply for flower pots.

I am here for negotiation. It's actually time for Plan B.

"Is that so?" I said. She nodded whilst giving off a smile. A smile that, somehow, made my poker face dissipate. "Can I talk with the owner?" Immediately after I asked that, her face flew into a state of shock. "Uhm... excuse m-me...?" she stuttered. I'm sure she wasn't ready for this type of situation. "I think you heard me right, Nolva. I wanna talk with the owner of this flower shop." I threw in a tiny chuckle in there, to at least help her calm down. "Uhm... C-Carrie isn't a-around so p-please..." she pushed me towards the exit, though I wasn't moving an inch. So Carrie truly is the owner. Neat. I can't help but feel she's trying to lure me away. That or she's just trying her best to push me away. Either way, I really need to talk with Carrie.

"CARPENTER!" yelled a voice from upstairs. Nolva flinched from the sound. She was shivering. "Are you okay...?" I whispered to her. She shook her head violently. "WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE?!" the voice echoed again, followed by heavy footsteps. "I TOLD YOU TO-" a plump woman appeared before the doorway at the back of the shop. She stopped in her tracks the moment she laid eyes on me. "Why, hello there. How can I help you?" she asked, a smile accompanying her question. All too suddenly, like a snap of a finger, her attitude and tone changed. I'm just going to pretend I didn't catch on her outburst just a few moments ago. It would ruin my chances at this. I held Nolva by the shoulders and placed her aside, making my way to the short woman. She was definitely cold. "I'm here to negotiate. I've got flower seeds you might be interested in." she raised an eyebrow on what I said. Looks like it's just that easy to get her attention. "Go on, I'm listening..." she said as she slowly took a seat behind the counter while I was left standing. So much for 'the customer is always right' business.

I leaned in closer. I felt Nolva's presence come closer behind me. "I've got Dawnchaser seeds..." "WHAT!? IMPOSSIBLE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "YOU'RE NOT A NOBLE SO HOW COME!?" It was obvious she wasn't trying to keep this a secret. I saw Nolva stand at a corner near us. Totally able to hear our conversation. It was also plain rude of her to proudly say that I was no noble. It was true, regardless on how one would look at me. Although despite the truth being so blatantly obvious, I still felt a sting be pierced at the entirety of my pride. "If you won't believe me, then I'll show you. I've planted some in my field." Without even saying a single word, she immediately ran up back upstairs. It was already clear she was coming with me.

With all that ruckus upstairs, I turned to Nolva. Who, in turn, bore an expression I could not quite describe. Curiosity, poker face, or was it something else? "You have Dawnchasers...?" she asked, breaking the ice between us. "Well, yeah..." I said nonchalantly.

I still don't get why people would go crazy when I mention the Dawnchaser flowers. It is still a mystery I have to figure out.

"I..." she was cut off by the short woman. "Carpenter you are allowed to go home now. I need to follow this man. See if he's not bluffing." she exasperated, fixing her shoal before as she threw keys to her. "Lock up when you're done, alright Carpenter?" "Wait, Miss Carrie! I have to see this for myself, too!"

Wait a damn moment, this pig of a woman is Carrie? Here I thought she was just a manager running the shop for the real owner. I felt my face burn hotter as I saw both her and Nolva at the same time. I do not know why.

"Fine. We'll wait outside." Carrie groaned as she literally dragged me outside. Again, so much for 'the customer is always right'. After a short while, Carrie's frustration was finally quenched when Nolva locked the main door to the shop. It was a beautiful door, though. Although the same cannot be said about the owner.

I swear my brain chuckled at that moment.

So there we were, heading for my house. On the way there, Carrie was constantly pushing Nolva around, blaming her for not getting her a Sun hat. It was, after all, hours before noon. So the heat was no joke. However, all came to pass as we finally reached my house. My home. "FINALLY!" Carrie yelled at the top of her lungs as she sat under the shade of a tree. "So the Dawnchasers are over there, right by the small house." I said, directing them to the field of flowers. They went there as instructed. The moment they saw the field, their eyes were filled with disbelief. Nolva's eyes were filled with hope while Carrie was drooling over herself. "I can't believe my eyes..." she said. "I CAN'T BELIEVE MY EYES!" she screamed again.

I do want to believe this woman is more animal than person but whatever. It's business.

"You're selling ALL of this to ME!? NOPE! I simply CANNOT accept!" she said out of the blue. I didn't even get a chance to explain myself. But one must try. "That was not my intention, Miss Carrie. I want to sell these under you. Say, I get half of what you gain from these Dawnchasers." She crossed her arms. "Give me a moment. I'll get back to you in a second..." she mumbled as she walked towards that tree.

Which leaves me and Nolva alone.

I turned towards her. She was sitting down, caressing one flower. Somehow, exactly like I do it. It was clear in her eyes that she was completely enthralled by the flower's beauty. The petals were shining really bright. As if they're the Sun themselves. "How did you even get these? You aren't a noble, are you...?" Even she asked me that?

It was already clear from my looks to my house that I was no noble. Though, I do wish such a thing could magically happen to me, I know that in a million possible futures that even such as a peasant like me becoming a noble is merely a daydream. It's just isn't possible. What I am currently seeking is a life worth living.

A life in which I need not risk my life senselessly.

"I mean, just look at me. Do I even look like a noble to you?" I said, breaking my eye contact with her and turning towards the field. I don't really want to dwell on the fact too much. It's just a hard thing to swallow. Somehow, even though I broke my gaze on her, it managed to crawl it's way back to her. Our eyes, then, locked in place. The way she looked at me was something else. I can't quite put it together nicely, but it made me smile.

She smiled back. Though, it soon turned into a sadder smile.

"I didn't mean anything wrong..." she said apologetically. At least that made me calm down a little. "...but, you are kind, right?" she pushed into me a little further. I do not even know where these questions are coming from. Even so, they are still questions directed at me. "What makes you say that?" I asked instead of answering her. She giggled as a response. "You guided me to Corona. Did you forget?" Ah. I guess she got me there.

Our conversation was cut short as Carrie came back from her brainstorming. She seemed rather calm despite everything. She cleared her throat before saying, "Tell you what kid, I accept your offer. Just as long you continue to provide me with Dawnchasers, you will get the half of the income. But, you have to work for me at the shop. Is that a deal?" she said, rather arrogantly, as she held up her right hand towards me. I'm going to tell it to you straight, I've always wanted a job. Working tirelessly to keep you living is, oddly enough, a nice thought to have. But, I'd rather have someone else to work under than her. However, I have no choice. "I accept" I said as she shook her hand.

"Then we'll get a bunch of thugs to put all of these in pots tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow. Come, Carpenter, we are leaving." Carrie said as she dragged Nolva with her. I could see her struggling too. But, even with that, she turned around and waved at me. I know this won't be the last time we'll meet. It's just merely the first.

And with that, I think I may have found a new life.


	11. Chapter 11: A Welcoming Abode

Sometimes, even what we desire is the cause of our own downfall...

Ah, this dream again. I don't truly understand why I am dreaming about this specific scenario. It was like a bad joke that was told to you every day at least once. It did kind of bother me, but I know that dreams are dreams.

Never are they real in any sense. Unless, you're consciously reliving memories of your past. I'd wish anything but that. As I've said, the past is not a place where one could simply dwell there and stay.

The aching sensation around my neck started to bother me. My eyes were drowsy still and the entirety of my body felt rather unusually heavy for my build. I was comfortable. As comfortable as one would get from mere monster pelts and a burlap sack to act as a pillow. I felt my body twitch as noise from outside began clustering my thoughts.

I slowly but surely opened my eyes. The furious shine of the Sun greeted me first. I flinched for a moment before bringing my right hand in front of my face, shielding my eyes from the Sun. Rubbing my eyes with my left hand, I sat up. The usual sight of the house was rather appealing. For once. I stretched and yawn for a bit then stood up and did the same thing. I looked around. It was rather lonely. I didn't remember much last night. Maybe I simply ate dinner and went to sleep shortly afterwards.

Now that I think about it, I may need to do something during the night. It wasn't at all pleasing to hear that I would simply waste the night away for something as expendable as sleep. Though I do enjoy resting, the simple thought of wasting my evening where I could do basically anything for a few hours didn't exactly sit well with me.

I went over to the kitchen and dowsed my face with yesterday's water. I licked the bottom part of my lip and felt it dry. Really dry. I haven't been drinking water recently. have I? Grabbing a cup from the cupboards, I poured in water and drank. Finally felt refreshed, I opened the window to see what sort of commotion was going on outside.

If someone was stealing my stuff, they're not doing a pretty good job.

What I got instead was a bunch of hired goons at a field while an ear-piercing shriek accompanied their every movement. It was not a pleasant feeling to have your ears be subjected to such torture. I examined them for a bit and saw the familiar plumpness of Miss Carrie whose mouth was constantly bickering on about what the goons would do. I suppose this has to do something with me. I put on my sandals, grabbed my robe and went outside.

I walked on over to where she was. It took her a while to notice that I was standing beside her. "Oh! You! Don't worry, the men are delicate in getting the Dawnchasers." I nodded as I saw one of them trip. I sighed under my hand.

I never actually understood how flowers would be taken care of, but I suppose it requires extreme amounts of dedication and attention. I would assume that flowers never get by on their own without some sort of help. Seeing goons trip over the flower field was a disappointment. As expected, Carrie scolded them the second she caught a glimpse of their said mistake. There were about nine people working so productivity was a factor. If she were to get every single Dawnchaser here, it would take a few hours, most probably up until midday. But who am I to care? I'm not the one doing the heavy lifting.

Where is Nolva anyways? I took a gander at my surroundings and saw no sign of her whatsoever. She must be at the shop or still be sleeping. It was, after all, a few hours after dawn so the possibility of her sleeping was there.

But I did remember her telling me she does things in her sleep. Things that one usually does while awake. An advanced form of sleepwalking, I'd presume. Though, for her, it was truly the case. She was acting rather strange when she was sleeping. Like her body was being puppeteered by someone. Or, rather, something.

I actually wonder what it's like. Being her. Having your body be controlled by something else. It's scary, if I dwell into it more. Does one actually know that he or she is being controlled? Do they feel their own body perform specific actions?

The thoughts themselves sent shivers down my spine.

I returned to my house, trying to ignore the fieldwork and proceed to my personal routines. I took off my white robe then took off father's clothes that I have been wearing for a full day. I controlled myself of sniffing such garments. I wore my newly washed clothes from yesterday. It'll be useless taking a bath now. I know for myself that I got into an invisible contract with Carrie. I would guess that, starting today, I were to begin working for her.

I'm still completely bothered by the fact that I have to work for a hippo as my manager. Well, in any case, I wouldn't be able to get another chance at this sort of deal now, can I?

Only after I finished dressing up did I fully realize my house was still a mess. I sighed, stood up and reluctantly proceeded to clean it ALL up.

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As I was finishing up lunch, which was the regular vegetable stew, again, I was given two consecutive knocks on my door. Considering how it was only two knocks, I were to assume it wasn't Carrie. I stood up and walked towards the door to open it.

And I was right.

"Hello, Roxas..." Nolva said, a faint sound of drowsiness escaped her mouth along with her voice. Her eye bags were pretty much prominent as of now. I did not exactly remember them being there yesterday. Was she deliberately trying to not fall asleep? "Hello. What's going on?" I asked her whilst examining the area behind her.

It seems as everything was done. I'm guessing the Dawnchasers are now sitting comfortably on flowerpots right now.

She yawned before saying, "Miss... Carrie wants to... talk to you..." she said. She jumped a bit on her spot, trying her very best to brush off the incoming sleep, before continuing, "...uhm... you need to come... with me... to the shop..." At this point, I couldn't stand her anymore. She needs some good quality sleep. "Why don't you come inside first, take a nap while you're out here." I said, moving myself aside for her to go in my house.

This was actually my first time inviting someone, let alone a woman, into my own house. It was embarrassing, considering the status of my house. A small construct built on wooden floorboards and supported by the same wood. Yeah, it was a mess. Though I'm not keen on building my own house myself. I'm not that great of a builder, if I were to be honest.

"Huh? But I...!" "Not "but"s, you need to rest." I insisted as I pushed her inside and closed the door behind us. I ran through my drawers to find any sort of leaves for tea. I would assume women would like a cup of tea if they're in someone else's home. "So... you like tea?" I asked her. It was a question that needed to be answered immediately, for I was running out of drawers. "Uhm... I do like one cup of tea, if that's okay with you..."

I swear, a woman can be quite the unique creature. I don't know if I'm allowed to bail out or not, because I am certain that I do NOT have anything in this here house that can be made for tea. Unless if you want to make tea out of tree leaves, be my guest.

With a stroke of luck, miraculously, I managed to find a bundle of mint leaves. Though, I do not know if these are still doable or not since I did not find a trace here before I my leaving to find the pendant. It would be a possibility for father to gather up some mint leaves since he was drinking tea that time.

Oh, now I remember father drinking tea. Damn memory.

"Will these do for you?" I showed her the bundle of mint leaves. "Oh! Yes, definitely!" she was rather pleased when she saw them. I have to admit, I do not know exactly how to make tea, let alone have the luxury to drink it. I run through the cupboards, the sudden feeling in my gut tells me that there was something in there that I need.

And what do you know? I found the recipe for tea in a small clay pot.

"Roxas?" Nolva whimpered. I turned to her. She tilted her head and asked, "You... don't know how to make tea... do you?" And bullseye. I reluctantly nodded my head and proceeded to fill the small pot with water. Well, there is a recipe, so I guess that would compensate for my lack of knowledge. After all, I do have little experience in cooking considering I have made mediocre meals for myself the other day. So I should be fine. I think.

"Do you want me to do it...?" she said as she struggled to stand, her knee hitting the table as she tried to do it, also witnessing her squeal in pain. "No! Let me do this. Besides, you're my guest..." I said. Once she heard that, she slowly but surely sat back down. Well, she did hit her leg on the table...

The recipe says to crush the leaves, but do not over do it, because I'll be removing it from the pot afterwards. I did what I was told. Not to toot my horn or anything, but I do have good sense of judgement, and the crushed leaves seemed fine enough. A bit thicker than what I imagined but it's passable. Then, bring the water to a boil.

I then realized I didn't even start the fire yet. I head on over to the lowest compartment of the cupboards. There is where I store the flint and steel. A few clicks and the used firewood began burning. I'll need to get new fuel for this pyre afterwards. It has been a few days since I got any new firewood.

I sat back down at the table whilst waiting for the water to begin boiling. Nolva was comfortable with the silence I was giving her. It seems that I did not need to speak to her for her to be happy. If only it were that simple with other people. Despite this, she broke the silence first. "How long have you been out here, Roxas?" "Well..." I stared outside the window, the same old tree, mountain ranges, and grass field were the only things present. "...my whole life, I guess." I looked back at her. She tried curving a smile, though, in futility. Her smile was sadder than normal. "How about you? How long have you been in Atlas?" I returned the question back at her. "Hmmm... I..." she brought her hand to her chin, then she brought it back to the table after a short moment and said, "... I never actually had the chance to live there."

Yikes. I stepped on a mine there.

I tried changing the subject but the pot was boiling loudly. I rushed on over and removed a piece of firewood. I threw in the crushed mint leaves and covered the top with a piece of clothing. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything else and I certainly didn't have the correct cover for the pot. But, considering there was a mess of broken clay shards, I'd assume that the cover was broken in the process of either my house search or father's.

I looked at the recipe. I sighed as I saw what the next instruction said. "I'm sorry, Nolva, but says here that I need to keep this in check..." She giggled and forced a smile. "It's alright. I can wait..." I nodded back at her and turned to the clay pot.

After five, maybe six minutes, I removed the cover. The smell of mint filled the room as I took the pot from the fire. I grabbed the spoon and began removing the bruised mint leaves from the liquid. The scent of the steam was rather pleasant and, even more so, soothing to my senses. It almost seemed that I could sleep right after.

As I threw away the leaves, I once again turned to the cupboards. If I do remember correctly, mother used to have a jar of honey she would refill every month or so. After her passing, father would continue this tradition. Luckily for me, I found the jar. It was about half full. I'm assuming father did actually refill it this month. It seems as though I am to continue this tradition.

I took two cups and the jar of honey and placed it on the table. Nolva looked surprised when she saw how complete this was. Next, I poured in the tea into her cup, then into mine. I grabbed the very specific spoon mother would use on the honey. Or whatever this is. I doubt it's a spoon. This weird ball on a stick thing you would use on honey. In any case, I pushed the jar toward her. "Don't tell me you dislike honey..." I sneered whilst pointing at the jar.

She giggled innocently and said, "Of course, I do...". She took the honey dipping utensil and poured in a generous amount of honey into her cup.

Well, then...

She took a sip after my turn of pouring honey into mine. I have to admit, I'm also guilty of pouring too much honey into my cup. I looked at the table and noticed the mess the two of us made. What's worse, I'm the one who will clean this up later. Without further ado, I took a sip from mine.

I was pleasantly surprised on how good this turned out to be, considering this was my first time ever making tea. More so, for a woman, so I felt good that time. As I took in the mint's flavors, I noticed that she fell asleep. I guess it was about time, too. I took her from the chair and made her stand up. I felt a presence from her for a split second before her body became limp and began sleep standing. "So you must be Waverlyde..." He made her body nod excessively, almost shaking her whole torso.

Without much left to do, I opened the door and went outside. Waverlyde followed suit. I'm still bothered by the fact that Nolva's body is simply a puppet now. At least she's getting some form of rest, now. Though I do need to ask. Does she feel tired after Waverlyde taking control of her? I mean her body has to wear out at some point. If anything, I would guess that Waverlyde's soul energy doesn't tap into Nolva's. She does seem rather well when he is not in control.

In any case, I gestured him to come with me. Avoiding that pig of a shop owner can't be avoided anyway...

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It was now noon...

I turn around again for the 28th time today to see Waverlyde trying his best to control Nolva's body. All this time he's been doing his best to catch up with me.

And yes, I have been keeping count.

I do have a much lower patience rate than other people, so seeing him that slow was irritating. Somehow frustrating, as well. But, right now, it seems as if he's getting the hang of this. It's been a few hours, after all.

A few more trudges and we finally reach Corona. I let down the hood of my robe and let my face catch the full blunt of the wind.

As we pass through Corona's streets, the both of us are attracting unwanted attention. If Waverlyde were to control her body better, it would've been fine. But meeting people's gazes and hearing their soft murmurs was a surprise I wasn't comfortable with. But I do understand. Seeing a sleepwalking woman tread around a town in broad daylight isn't really something you usually get to see regularly.

We reached the shop, letting Waverlyde in first. He immediately took up upstairs and left me and Carrie at front. Carrie herself was surprised by the fact that Nolva was casually sleepwalking in the middle of the day. Her eyes darted back and forth from me to her before throwing me a question, "Is she drunk!?" she asked with the ugliest and most disgusted face I could bear witness to.

And no, that was not something to be proud of.

"All I did was give her some tea." I said, shrugging. She sighed in defeat and, somehow, allowed it to slip by. I'd assume Nolva already told her about her condition. I was pleasantly surprised that she was more understanding than yesterday.

Was she in a bad mood yesterday? Well, I'm not in the mood to figure stuff out today, so that'll have to wait.

I walked in and saw most of my Dawnchasers were lined up in neat files near the counter. "See, if the Kingdom of Sun were to find out, we're done for..." she asked as she caressed one Dawnchaser with her left hand. The look in her eye made it clear that she doesn't want this to be spread around as much. If that's how we're going to do business, then I'd have to accept it if I wanna continue living. I nodded in agreement.

"Well, good. Take this apron. You'll be covering up for Carpenter today." she handed to me a black apron. One with a few coffee stains. I guess that's one way to give an employee work wear. I took off my robe and hung it on the rack near the entrance and put on the apron. It's a tight fit, however. I'd have trouble breathing in this one. Well, beggars truly can't be choosers.

"You'll be running the cash today. I'd assume you know how to count, right?" Well, I haven't had a good opportunity to actually learn in a fitting environment, but the books father lent me were good enough when he was still a traveler. I do remember mother being so pleased with me when I finished reading that literature book. It was a good read, I'm not going to lie. Mother also had the greatest courtesy to teach me how to do basic maths.

I simply nodded at her. All I had to do was subtract, right? It would seem simple enough. This was going to be my first job and I won't go around and fail at even the simplest task.

My dependency on my parents stops now.

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The afternoon went by quickly. There was a significant increase in customers. That would make sense considering that Dawnchasers were now on sale. Though, I did advise all of them to keep the flowers from public view.

Despite the advisory, however, I still do not understand why Dawnchasers need to be kept from the Kingdom. Are they special flowers for special people? Or are they really something else?

Well, right now, all that doesn't matter. All that matters is that people come in this shop and buy flowers from us. As long as that keeps on happening, we'll stay afloat.

Nolva woke up in the middle of service, too. I was attending the cashier while she was out watering the flowers out front. It was nowhere near closing time, however, as the Sun was setting and Carrie had no intention of letting us go just yet.

"A long day for you, Roxas?" Nolva walked up to me after putting down the watering can. "I mean, I can't say for certain. I've had longer..." "Yes, I can say the same for myself..." she walked behind me, grabbing one of her puppets that she hung around during her shift. "It's finally great to have someone to talk to..." she commented, fidgeting on the marionette's face. "Are you always this lonely?" She shook her head. "No, it wasn't like this at all..." With that being said, she piqued my interest. "What exactly-" my question got caught off as a customer went in. Or, rather, customers.

These were two people. A man and a woman, whose ages are quite close to one another. Presumably couples, but that in itself is a stretch. "Look, honey, they do have them!" said the woman, clearly pointing at the Dawnchaser's direction. Well, that's three checks on my list then.

"Welcome! How can we help you?" we? I've never said 'we' before. I greeted them, redirecting their gazes towards me and Nolva. Judging by what they were wearing they were middle class. You know, those people whose class is named after something I can't quite wrap around my tongue with that starts with a letter 'B'. They weren't ordinary, that's for sure. They certainly look like they could buy all my possessions and can buy **me** while they're at it.

"Hello, are those Dawnchasers...?" the man walked up to me and pointed at the said flowers. "Yes. Would you like to purchase a pot or a bouquet for your lady over there?"

He was surprised that I immediately caught on the two of them. Well, if you ask me, couples are easy to spot. It's hard walking with someone that is basically your entire existence and you're trying to keep those feelings inside you in public. It's like torture. But who am I to say that? I never had someone. At least, not yet.

"Uhm... Yes. A bouquet please." he preemptively got out a coin purse. Smart move. "Okay, that'll be 500 Curren." "What!? F-fine, 500 curren it is..." he reluctantly brought out 5 more pouches. Seems to me he only thought about these flowers as the norm. They were, in fact, not. These flowers would glow in accordance with the Sun's radiance, so he did not expect such a steep price.

500 Curren for just a bouquet and half of that, which is, of course, 250 Curren, is going straight to my pockets. Or, until I have any, that is.

I nodded to Nolva who took out the good looking Dawnchasers and wrapped them in a neat little cloth. Although the Dawnchasers don't look so good when put in a bouquet. The pure white gets bland fast. Nonethless, the man took the bouquet and gave it to his partner. "Here you go, my dear..." I heard him said that to her as he handed it to her.

I have to admit, it was a sweet sight. I turn to Nolva who was smiling quite brightly.

Without even saying a simple 'Thank you!' to the both of us, they left quietly. As quietly as the woman can get anyways. She was fawning over the flowers even after she got them. I swear I can still hear her yap on how beautiful they are even after they went outside.

People can be obnoxious sometimes...

After that, this leaves me and Nolva to our comfortable silence once again. I decided to pick up where we left off. "Anyways, Nolva-" "Don't you think they look perfect together?" she cut me off as she leaned on the wooden wall to her left, still eyeing the exit. I'm guessing she's fawning over the couple, as well. I don't blame her for it. It is my first time too to witness love in public.

I wonder how that will go for me, though...

"Uh... Yeah. They do look good together..." I said as I looked at the exit, imagining the young couple before me. "Do you have someone else too, Roxas?" I raised an eyebrow at her question. I never even considered searching for another person to love as of now. I only lived because I wanted to live. I live because I survived. I find it difficult to live because of another person other than dependence on survival. It's tricky to me. So, I simply answered, "No..." but I quickly returned the question to her. "How about you? Do you have someone on your mind?" she flinched. Strange. I never found Nolva flinching before. Or was that just my imagination? "Uhm... I... I'm stuck..." "Stuck? What do you mean by that?" "Oh! Miss Carrie!" she essentially avoided my question as Carrie came downstairs. "Did we sell any Dawnchasers yet?" she asked, eyeing me especially. She did, in fact, not leave her room upstairs the whole afternoon. "Well, we sold 16 pots today and 3 bouquets..." I said, miraculously remembering every purchase since noon. "WHAT!? You gotta be kidding me, right?" "Uhh... No, I am not, actually. You heard that right. 16 pots and 3 bouquets."

Carrie couldn't speak that time. The amount of Dawnchasers we sold was an amazing number to her. Though, I did get a tad bit excited from seeing her like this. I was getting half of it, after all.

"Before that, though, I took out half of the income because they're Dawnchaser purchases." I said. Carrie looked extremely disgusted. For a moment, however, before realizing the agreement we have made. Shaking her head off, she said, "That's fine, that's fine. Anyways, it's closing time. Carpenter, get the keys." she said. Nolva bowed her head and went upstairs to get said keys. "You know, you're really reeling in the customers today. We even sold some of our regular flowers." she commented. She walked towards the rack, grabbed her coat and swung it around her body. "Tell Carpenter to lock up, aight? I'll see you two tomorrow." she waved a goodbye as she exited the shop. I waved at her as well, but I doubt she even saw it.

As soon as Nolva came downstairs, I grabbed the income I earned from the Dawnchaser purchases and went over to get my robe. "I'm going to wait for you outside, okay?" "Mmph!" she nodded as she began tidying up as I exited the shop myself.

The main plaza of Corona was still as lively as it could get. Though it was our shop that was closing, the town's other shops and booths were open well into the night. These people were determined to get as many curren as they can in a single day. That's some dedication if you ask me. I wore the white robe. I admit it was pretty convenient for this to transform into my taste. But I always have this feeling. This one feeling that I am bearing while I am wearing this. Though, this is nothing to fret over. Not anymore, at least. I am shouldering St. Paula's memories. That's all I have to do to keep her alive in my heart and mind.

I turned around and saw Nolva putting in the final lock to the shop. With one final sigh, she walked up to me. The light of the lanterns shining above her, emphasizing her pretty face. She was especially so tonight.

"You're going home right, Roxas?" "Yeah. I mean, there's really nothing for me to do here." "Are you not going to buy dinner?" I remembered that I don't have anything at home. She was right. Thank goodness, though, I could've starved. "Oh yeah... I'm going around the plaza for a bit... Good night!" I walked away and waved but my waving hands met hers.

Her smooth touch was new to me. I turned to look at her. I felt her fingers lock in with mine as she stared into my eyes. "Wait... Why don't you come over to my house for dinner?" she said, rather shyly. Breaking eye contact as soon as our gazes met. "What? Why?" I raised an eyebrow. "Roxas! You're coming to my house whether you like it or not!" she bickered. Although, she did it lightly. It was cute, kind of. "Woah! No need to get feisty there. Fine, fine, I'll come with." she merely giggled sweetly at my answer. "I'm glad you said that..." she smiled as she walked forward, presumably to where her house is.

She still doesn't know our hands are still intertwined.

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"Here we are, make yourself comfortable." It took us quite a while to even reach her house. It was totally on the outskirts of the village. Not as far as my house, though, so plus points for that. The inside of her house was rather dark. Puppets and various other marionettes hung just above us, littering the ceiling. I'm getting weird sort of vibes from her house. It was hard to make myself comfortable with all these puppets watching me. But hey, if that's how she goes about, I'm not going to judge.

She flipped a switch and a rune chandelier lit up. It wasn't the most elegant chandelier. It was more likely something that was commonly produced in the public, sold for a measly price for normal people. It did, however, do it's job pretty well. One chandelier lit up her entire house. She didn't have a second floor nor was her house separated into sections. It was just one big room.

She went over to her own kitchen. Hers was cleaner, mind you. A lot cleaner than mine. She actually had a fireplace to cook, so it was a lot neater as well. Not a single chance of burning down the house. Meanwhile, I'm living on the edge with my style. I took a seat at what I thought was her dining table. She had one other chair. I'm guessing she doesn't really have a ton of guests at her house.

"You know, this is my first time having a visitor..." she said as she took out a big piece of meat from an ice box. I guess I was right. "I'm returning the favor, so please, kindly wait a moment..." It appears it was my turn to wait for her. It was actually interesting watching her work. I'd assume this wasn't her first time cooking something, but judging from how she looks, she was struggling a bit. Just a bit, though.

This was also a bit of a learning experience for me. It was the first time I actually have the luxury to watch other people's cooking. For someone who only had the capability to cook a decent stew, and only a decent stew, it was an opportunity I wouldn't dare miss out on. I carefully watched her cook as she made quick work of the meat.

The fire in the fireplace was burning quite brightly, so I'm guessing she wants to waste no time in preparing this. She quickly, and quite efficiently, chopped some carrots, garlic, onions, and some leafy things I can't seem to make out and set those aside. She oiled in the pan, placed the meat there and immediately placed it over the fire. While that was happening, the aroma of the meat started to fill the room as my stomach began growling.

I now have no regrets. I'm glad she invited me over.

She poured in rum. I didn't believe it at first but what I saw was what I saw. She poured in the rum and the pan caught fire. I stood up, fearing that the house would burn down. But what kept me from moving was her unchanging expression. I knew I had to trust her. Besides, I don't know really know much about cooking. I sat back down as a sweat dripped from the side of my face.

I won't be staying for long if the house catches on fire.

A few more minutes and she appears to be done. Breathing heavily, she placed in the meal before me and place two plates on the table. Following this, she got two glasses filled with water and some utensils. "I'm sorry! I don't have any drinks and I don't have any-" I cut her off there. It wasn't great seeing her bow her head down and apologizing for things she cannot control. It felt unfair, too. All that hard work and she's just going to say sorry for it. It didn't feel right. "Oh, it's okay. Really. You don't have to..." I held her hand, reassuring her. She needed that. "Come sit, you earned this." I said, directing her to the chair in front of me.

As she sat before me, I took the knife and began cutting the meat. Steam went out of it as I tore through the tender meat. I place a chunk on her plate as well as on mine, she was taken aback by what I did. Noticing her expression, I asked her, "Err... Something wrong, Nolva?" I tilted my head accompanying the question. "You...really didn't have to do that..." I chuckled by that comment. "Nonsense. Besides, I'm sure it's common courtesy right?" by that, she simply smiled and sat more comfortably.

I sliced my piece into a smaller bit and forked it. I took in it's appearance and smell first. I knew deep in my soul that I was going to replicate this. Though, the way she moved around and how fast she prepared it, it would take me a few years at best. I took in a bite. And what do you know? It was, surely, the best meal I've ever had since mother's cooking.

The meat simply melts in your mouth and the flavors. The flavors. That I truly can't describe. I felt a single tear form in my right eye.

"Uhm... Roxas?" she asked whilst playing with her slice. She was doubtful. Even now. "Yeah?" I took in another piece of meat, taking it all in just like the first time. I simply couldn't get enough of this. If only she could read my own thoughts, she wouldn't be insecure anymore. "Do you...like the steak?" Steak, huh? Even the name itself sounds pretty damn scrumptious. I nodded happily as I took in yet another bite at my steak slice. I tried smiling wider, though. I wanted her to see that this was truly something to be proud of.

As she saw my smile, her eyes sparkled. The same spark as she saw the beautiful Dawnchasers on my field that other day.

Speaking of which, I do hope that there are a few left at home. I do want to gaze upon them every morning. I guess it's my only luxury when I have a status such as a peasant. Any other pleasantries would be too much for me, anyway.

As we finished up dinner, I helped her wash most of the dishes. Even the metal pan that she used. I was expecting more, though. At least it was an enjoyable meal. I'd have that on my to do list soon enough.

As we finished up cleaning, we went and sat at the table. All that was left for me was to go home. But, I'm sure Nolva didn't just drag me to the outskirts of Corona just so I can have a free meal. The sparkles in her eyes remained as we sat parallel to each other, staring into each others eyes while occasionally breaking them.

I laid back while she was standing straight. For a lady, she does have the proper etiquette to go with her looks. I still doubt she was pampered enough for royalty, however. Seems her time in Atlas was the main reason why she is here. Or, rather, lack thereof. "Nolva, I said it once and I'll say it again, that was a great dinner." I said to her with a big smile on my face. As soon as she took one glance, she immediately perked up and smiled back.

It was a pretty smile.

"Well, it wasn't at all my best, but I am truly glad you liked it!" she said, bringing the palm of her hands together. She looked quite content now, at least.

"Roxas? There's something I'd like to ask of you..."

"Huh? Sure. Go ahead, fire away."

"Why did you give me tea earlier?"

"Hm? Oh, that. Well, you seem rather tired and I thought you needed to rest for a bit. I tried my best to make tea, too. It was a first for me, so... Forgive."

"The tea certainly helped. Thank you for your kindness, Roxas!"

"No problem, Nolva. You know that was also the first time I had someone over at my house, too."

"Oh..."

"So you're definitely not alone. Waverlyde did do a great job bringing you to the shop, too."

"You know who Waverlyde is...?"

"Of course, silly, you told me that the first time we met."

"Huh...? When did I...?"

"Uhm... Somewhere near a river somewhere in Paradise Prairie? I mean, I accompanied you to Corona until dusk, so..."

"Oh... Oh! Right... Hehehe... Sorry..."

"Well, in any case, I'd better get going. I'll need to be early tomorrow, too. I mean... we'll need to be early tomorrow." I grabbed my robe and headed for the door, realizing I still need to buy some items for my house. There was literally no food at home.

"Right, time is precious. I understand. It was nice having you, Roxas!" she waved goodbye as I closed her door.

I might be feeling something...

Though I do not know what...


	12. Chapter 12: A Sudden Revelation

It has been a few days since my first day here in the flower shop...

Everything went as smoothly as it could possibly get. Customers are sometimes lined up outside just to get one Dawnchaser for about 100 curren. Yes, that wasn't a joke. 100 curren was the price for ONE flower. Carrie also raised the price for a Dawnchaser bouquet from 500 to 1100 curren in just a few days. She relished in the money. I can't say I do the same, but I guess I'm happy too.

Just as Carrie said, the Dawnchasers were a great advertiser. People actually came to buy our other flowers than the ones I get income from. I guess it's a win-win scenario. As I observed at home, the Dawnchasers can regrow on the spot where the flowers themselves were severed. However, if the roots were to be removed, the blooms cannot regrow. That was a comforting thought because I feared running out of seeds. Due to the commotion the townspeople were having, getting a fresh batch of Dawnchaser seeds were going to be hard.

Extremely hard.

Here we were, I was out watering the other flowers. Nolva was heading the cashier and Carrie was upstairs doing manager things. As I've said, things were going pretty well. I've also remembered to get food for myself at home and bought a few things that would help me with my lifestyle. As I finished up watering all the flowers, I've noticed the Dawnchasers at the display were wilting. And they wilted fast.

Nolva went over to my side. I had to assume she saw me looking at said wilting flowers. "What's wrong...?" she asked me. Then when she turned her head to where I was looking, she already found her answer. "Oh my..." "They don't droop like this, do they?" I turned to her. Surely she must know something about these things. "I... don't know..." "Didn't we already set them up?" "Yes... we did. I remember doing everything... but why?" We were completely in the dark. Maybe we need to get Carrie down here. And fast. "Get Miss Carrie. We'll have to do something..." she looked at me with a curious face. "Do... what exactly...?" "I... don't know as well..." Without much left to say, Nolva went upstairs.

The inconsistency was really getting to me. Nolva said that flowers would last up to three or more weeks if tended to correctly. But these Dawnchasers were something else. They died in no more than three days. I could feel it deep within my blood that there was something we did wrong. I can feel it.

I know it for myself that these blooms were nothing of the ordinary. Seeing them now, I was certain that these are not what they seemed to be.

Several, fast moving footsteps littered the flight of stairs as both women came down from above. "What!? They're wilting already!?" "Yeah! We're surprised as you are!" I said, backing up the confusion with literally nothing but more panic. "Some flowers..." Carrie said, grumbling. "So what now? You know these things are rare as hell to get and we're just going to lose them all in a flash!?" she was right. Though I still don't know how rare these flowers can get but by guessing in all of Carrie's panic, I say they are extremely rare.

Then one specific feeling hit me. Like a rock being thrown at my head. It hit hard, but one I had to notice.

I took off my apron and went to get my robe. I was going home. I remembered something about these things that I wasn't going to waste time on. It was a faint recollection. I was basically gambling, at this point. But, if our business and my income on the line, I am forced to roll the die and go with it. Both Nolva and Carrie stopped me just as I was about to leave as Carrie gave me a death glare, "Where do you think you're going?!" "I just remembered something. I'll be back as soon as I can!" I exited and went my way immediately. "Roxas! Wait!" I heard Nolva yelp as the door behind me closed her voice in.

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It was already afternoon. It appears that I won't be coming back to the shop until tomorrow. If I go back now, they would already be closing. I've already got used to our early closing time. I wonder if Carrie took into account the distance of both me and Nolva's houses. If ever that would be the case, I applaud her.

The Sun was slowing nearing the horizon as I opened the small wooden door to my own house. I took of both my robe and my sandals before brushing off the dirt on my feet before entering. I just do hope that this very feeling was leading me to the right path.

I opened most drawers, searching for some sort of written paper or an enclosed book. The memory of glancing over the words 'Dawnchaser' was etched into the back of my mind all this time. I don't know how to describe it clearly. It was like a memory that is constantly close but always out of reach. My house was beginning to be as messy as the day that epiphany managed to crawl it's way into my head.

After ten, maybe even twenty minutes, I still found nothing. I did have a bit of a nostalgic trip during all of that, though. Mother's study materials, father's visited places scribbled and labeled on various maps, the same old literature book that I read when I was really young. Man, time sure flies. I wonder how my parents are doing. You know, in the afterlife.

I still believe there is an afterlife. I know that legacies live on in people, memories are truly never forgotten, and experiences last a lifetime. With all those in mind, life after death may seem possible. Besides, soul energies do not fade. At all. Even when the body is gone, the object closest to the person's heart will be it's medium. Or, that is what I like to believe. To this day, I can still feel St. Paula's soul in the robe she unintentionally left behind for me. The energy within the robe always feels like she's giving me a hug that lasts until I take it off.

Then, just as I was on the verge of giving up, I found it. I discovered a small book titled, "Vendacti's Blooms".

I opened the book twice the size of my hands. In it was the collection of every possible flower types in all of the continent. Some I didn't even know existed. Rainbow Rose, Scatterbloom Lily, Frost Bracer, those were just a few examples of the flower blooms in Vendacti. Flipping through the pages, there were some I recognized, like the common Daisies and Sunflowers. Only through this book was I informed that there are a few more subspecies of Sunflowers in the continent. Some of which are rarer.

At the very back of this book lied all the answers. Well, most of the answers anyways. There it was. On the very top of the page, it spelled the flower's name in a pretty neat cursive, **"Dawnchasers"** The cursive writing in itself wasn't something I could recognize. The writings probably belonged to someone older than my father. How scribbled this was meant that there could only be one copy of this book. And that would be this very one I am holding.

To think of me as incredibly fortunate was a possibility...

Below it, at the very left of the page, laid a sketch of one Dawnchaser. A very detailed sketch that I couldn't replicate no matter how much I tried. Or practiced, for that matter. It was a work that was truly beyond my capabilities. Faint lines pointed at each part of the flower, labeling it for greater examination. From the roots, to it's petals, the book had it all. The label for the petals had a small note next to it, **"Can glow indefinitely".** Which, for the most part, was true. On the right part laid the details of the Dawnchaser bloom.

The text, unexpectedly, was more clearer and less cursive than that of the title. On it, the text read, **"The Dawnchaser is the rarest and most prized flower bloom in the entire continent of Vendacti. Said to be as old as the Dragon Sdorica itself, seeing a naturally grown Dawnchaser is a sight almost no one in Vendacti's history has done. It is also the current flower bloom that is associated with royalty and nobility within the Kingdom of the Sun and is regarded as an honor to have one Dawnchaser in a noble household. With the Carlos family, it was rumored that they have an entire garden of Dawnchasers somewhere hidden in the Sun Capitol"**

Carlos family huh? That name rung a bell. Somehow, the name of the self proclaimed heir to the Dragonslayer resonated deep within the recesses of my mind. Like a speck of dust tickling at the back of my brain, teasing me with a feeling I cannot ignore.

With those in mind, I'm sure that the text here isn't all there is to it. I flipped the page to see a guide of some sort. A guide that tells you what you need to do in order to take care of a specific bloom. It was a collection of all flower blooms, listed in alphabetical order. It follows a certain format. First, on the left hand side, you will find the name of the flower bloom. Then, underneath it, it will show you how long it will take for that specific flower to actually bloom. Underneath that one, it will show you how long it will take for that flower to die off without proper care or how long it would naturally last. Next, on the right hand side, you will find the conditions for potting and replanting. Lastly, underneath that, you will find the reasons for the said conditions.

Skipping through most of these to find the flowers under the letter 'D'. Without much effort, I found it. On the page where the Dawnchaser was, it said:

Name: Dawnchaser  
Bloom: 11 days  
Lifespan: Forever  
Potting: Cannot pot; will wilt in 3 days  
Replanting: On the ground ONLY, will lose radiant glow after transfer  
Reasons: Unknown

And there it was. The answer, the savior to our business.

I stood up, joy ran over me as I finally know what to do. This also is a big help to our shop, too. Since this is a guide on every flower in Vendacti, we just need to follow the words written on here. Now, for the mess I got myself in. Papers are everywhere, Sunset was about done, and my stomach was growling. It was about time I took a break from this. And what made it better was the hard work of finding this book was paid off with answers and what's more, a potentially better flower shop in general.

I could feel the public's envy, how only the three of us have an access to such a useful and priceless guide. Tears were about to form in my eyes as my stomach growled even louder. I swiftly took care of all the papers on the floor. Neatly piling them up and shoving them in the drawers was definitely a good idea. I now have a problem with a broken drawer.

Yesterday, after Nolva's dinner, I decided to go about Corona and buy some essential food and tools that I needed. Luckily, as I've said before, the shops and booths in Corona were well open into the night. I even came back in the middle of the night and most of the shops were still open. Most shops anyways. Most people that run the shops tend to fall asleep in that hour, so they fashioned themselves a bell for people to ring if ever they wanted to buy from them. I remember I had to ring ten different bells from ten different shops, as all of them were already snoozing off to Corona's cold wind.

I had to buy a cooking pan. I wanted to eat something more than just stews and soup. The liquid is always what made me full even before taking on the stews contents. I do not know why I always drink from it first and foremost, but I feel like mother told me something like this in the past. Something about how soups replenish the energy within our souls. I don't remember much, but I do remember not listening.

I then bought some vegetables, a lot of firewood and a few utensils. I had too much on me. The income from the Dawnchaser purchases was apparently sufficient enough for all prices in Corona. I do notice that ever since the rebuilding of the village, the quality of products has skyrocketed from low to moderately good. It was a fresh new sight. One I was willing to take in. But what really completed my purchases was a wandering merchant from the East Alliance. He looked like a rabbit. He sold me a piece of meat. He called this one, "salt cured". I do not know what that means, but it does sound delicious. He told me to hang above my fireplace if I wasn't going to eat it yet.

I did what he told me. He also told me that the fat that was dripping from the meat would act as fuel. I was about to test what he said. I went over to my table and brought out the new knife I bought yesterday and sliced a medium sized chunk off of the salt cured meat and hung it somewhere else. I placed a bucket underneath the hung meat to catch the dripping fat. I wasn't going to go around and clean it up after I'm finished eating. It would be a waste.

As with my knife, I took out the metallic pan I bought. I washed it a bit with water. I proceeded to do the same with the salt cured meat. I do remember the wandering merchant guy telling me to wash it before cooking. I might have to take his word for it. Besides, you'd have to wash everything before even beginning to cook, right?

After washing the meat, I placed it on a plate then set it aside then washed the rest of the vegetables I was going to use. Before cutting said vegetables, I washed my knife and dried it with a clean cloth.

I do have to admit that everything needs to be washed. Speaking of which, I might need to take a bath tomorrow before going to the flower shop. I was in a bad shape two days ago, so a refresher wouldn't hurt too much in the morning. Although taking baths in the morning isn't my preferred time. Usually the water in the morning is too cold. Sometimes freezing. The way I like it is when it's either noon, where the cool water is complimented by the Sun's blistering heat, and when it's afternoon, where the water gets warmer by the minute.

After chopping up the vegetables into clean slices, I took out the flint and steel to fire up the pyre. It didn't take more than a few clicks and one tiny spark to ignite the pyre. I guess that fat worked out pretty alright. I would have to salt cure the meats I would buy from now on. That is, of course, if someone would have the courtesy to teach me. Otherwise, I would have to consume the meat immediately.

Judging from the color of the meat that I have, it seems that it would take longer to cook. That and the fact that this one is tougher than the one Nolva served me. Maybe that's just the nature of the meat before being cooked? I don't know, probably just my imagination.

The fire that was before me was burning rather brightly, brighter than any of my man made fires, actually, so the heat was quite noticeable. Taking the pan, I placed it over the fire. I actually don't have anything that could make use for a makeshift stove. Nolva had one in her house. Maybe I could've borrowed it. But, it was really too late for laments. I am now forced to hold this thing with my left arm. Not that it's heavy, in fact it's quite light, but because I have to hold it for a long period of time.

Well, here goes...

After oiling up the pan with some plain old vegetable oil, I placed the meat dead center of the pan. The first sounds that were made was the sizzling of said meat and accompanying it was the smell of said meat. Now I know why Nolva had this particular smile on her face when she first placed the meat on her pan.

I flipped the meat after several seconds with a flimsy wooden spoon. I wouldn't want my first time cooking to be burnt now, would I? I did this for about a few more minutes and I quickly began to notice that my left arm was now tired. I was trembling. Not in fear, however, but in fatigue. I tried switching the pan over to my right hand, but I found out that it was _way_ too uncomfortable that way. I sighed and silently accepted my fate.

The meat was beginning to turn a brownish coloration. It was at this time that I actually forgot to add in my vegetables that I chopped up. These batch weren't exactly the ones Nolva used in hers, but it was worth a shot. Slices of onions, crushed garlic and some leek.

I had the constant thought of adding cheese in there. It seemed quite exciting to put it in there. And maybe it wouldn't be so bad. But, in the end, I decided against it. I mean, this _is,_ after all, my first time cooking meat and I wasn't sure whether or not I was ready.

When I am ready, however, I'd be sure to experiment with weird ideas. Who knows? Maybe I'll pull something out of my hat one day and it'll taste good. Probably. Maybe. I'm hoping for the best.

After several more minutes, the meat now gave off a familiar scent. The familiarity of the aroma tickled at my memories. Remembering this was almost the same smell when Nolva finished cooking, I took out the pan from the fire and let it cool. The meat was still sizzling, but it wasn't as noisy as it was when I started. I'd assume that the fat was already burnt off or something during the process. Whether or not that is the case, the taste of my meal is all I'm concerned about. I threw in a bucket of water at the burning fire. As expected, it was extinguished.

It still pained me to see I have to replace the firewood with each use.

I took out a wooden plate from my cupboards. This particular plate was as old, if not, older than me. Though, that didn't bother me in the slightest. There are simply more fascinating ancient objects than a wooden plate. But it was the first plate that mother made herself. She simply carved a piece of wood. Again, and again. She did make two more for the three of us.

I actually opted to buy a porcelain plate to see what it was like. After all, it seemed clean and Nolva was using one at hers. But, looking at this wooden plate mother carved out herself, I decided to stick with these plates of hers. After all, I did promise myself I would live out my life in their memory. As much as the memories themselves bring a terrible heaviness in my heart, I can't find it in my own heart to throw away what I remember she worked so hard for.

I transferred the meat into the wooden plate with a spoon and a fork. It was time to test out if my cooking is truly terrible. Slicing out one piece with a knife, I took my first bite. It was about as same as Nolva's. Well, not exactly the same but it's close. Close enough, really. I was really glad I get to enjoy a decent meal for the night that I made. It was a good feeling, really.

After washing up whatever needed washing, I packed everything up. I took the flower guide from the table and placed it in the inside pocket of my robe. Though, the robe didn't have a pocket, I simply wished there was. And, conveniently enough, it formed a measly pocket inside the robe in which the book perfectly fitted into. Taking out the hides and that one burlap sack, I laid down to rest. I made a mental note to myself to take a bath in the morning before dozing off immediately.

Tomorrow was going to be a good day...

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I headed out to Corona after taking a bath for an hour and a half. My skin was too sensitive to even handle the freezing river water. How come I easily drink that stuff but when I go and plunge into it I feel like dying? Eh, whatever, at least I got my mind and body refreshed.

I constantly checked my robe pocket over and over again to reassure myself that the flower guide was still there while traveling to Corona. Paranoia really gets me sometimes, especially when it's either something really important or just the insomniac nights. You really get to hear all the bumps that go about in the night. I hate to admit it, but sometimes my body refuses to sleep just because my mind is really bored and is trying to scare me. Even though I need good quality sleep, my body just acts out of it's own accord and refuses to cooperate.

I let down the hood of my robe as I entered Corona. I was expecting little to no customers today because of my absence. Never did I think that I was any more wrong than what presented me today.

There was a whole mob. An awful lot of upset customers right in front of our shop. I guess the public deserves some explanation. I can hear all of them yelling for refunds, new batch of Dawnchasers, and even to close down the shop. Like, geez, I know you're upset but that's a little too much. I painstakingly attempted to squeeze into the raging crowd, throwing in a few "Excuse me"s and "Sorry"s in there. By the look of their faces, they weren't necessarily happy about me. But, nevertheless, I did reach the shop after a few moments.

"Roxas! There you are! Come in, come in..." Nolva was the first to greet me as she made way for me inside. Then came Carrie, who appeared frustrated. At me, specifically. Crossing her arms and tapping her foot rapidly, she frowned at me, "I better have a compensation for your absence...". Reaching in for the pocket in my robe, I pulled out the book. "Here you go. This is all we need to keep afloat." I said, giving her a confident smirk. "The hell is this?" she eyed the book as she raised an eyebrow. That very action broke my confidence. "Uh... a flower guide? I suggest you take a look at it first." and as such, she did. She flipped through the pages, her frown began to vanish as she dived deeper into the guide's contents. "Where did you get this...?" I shrugged. "I don't know... Maybe my father's?" "Maybe, huh?" She took a second glance at it before looking rather satisfied. "Well, at least we now know how these work..." she pointed at the Dawnchasers. "We need a new batch. Now. Excuse me, I'll hire some men for us..." She said, squeezing through both me and Nolva before heading upstairs.

That leaves me and Nolva alone. What's worse is that there is an angry mob right outside that needs to be taken care of. Nolva took the guide for herself as she examined the material thoroughly. "Uhm... Roxas..." "Hm?" "I want you to take a look at this..." she held the book right in front of me for me to see. It was the back part of the book. It had some more blank pages. Presumably for notes. She pointed at the carving at the bottom right hand side of the inside of the back cover. There it said my surname in rather beautiful cursive writing, _"Von Zayne"_

Now, here I was certain that this didn't belong to my father. If it were, he would've shown me this a long time ago. That and the fact that he had little to no fascination for flowers of any kind. I was now confident that this belonged to my grandfather, whose name I still do not know. I was certain that I would never be able to know who my grandfather was or will I ever know his name. Father himself refused to talk about him, and mother didn't know he existed. From the day my father died, from then on, my grandfather would now forever remain a mystery.

"Did your father own this...?" she asked, she didn't even look at me in the eye. Instead she was flipping through the pages once more, nodding with every page that was turned. I don't know if I have the right to say this, but I don't know anything else beyond that so I confidently said to her, "It belonged to my grandfather. Father had no interest in flowers." "You can't say this is your mother's...? Just look at this writing... So beautiful..." she commented as I sighed. "No, mother only focused of her family, which was us..." She placed the book down before turning to me. "You have to tell me about your family sometime, Roxas..." she looked at me with a saddened smile before averting her gaze towards the big crowd that whose chants and yells were now beginning to annoy me. "But, right now, our customers need answers..." I turned to look at the crowd. Now, they seemed more agitated than before. I nodded at Nolva before heading outside, steeling myself for what's to come.

I opened the door of the shop and was immediately bombarded with vegetables. I was especially annoyed when they got tomatoes sticking unto my robe. Not that I liked it clean, but rather the symbolism that they have tainted St. Paula's memory. And that did not sit well with me. Not one bit.

I sighed and brushed the feeling off, facing the crowd head on. "We want refunds for the Dawnchasers!" yelled a woman from the far back. Her statement caused a supportive uproar from the other people in the crowd as they continued giving me more points and reasons for us doing such things. "Are those even real Dawnchasers!?" shouted one, "We need answers!" retorted another. It seems that I have to resort to the flower guide, huh?

I looked back at Nolva, catching her attention. I drew a square in the air with both my fingers, signifying that I needed the book. She understood me and gave me the book afterwards. I nodded to her as thanks and faced the crowd once more.

I cleared my throat, "People! I have all the answers you need. Behold!" I raised up the flower guide. They all fell silent as they stared at me. "What is that supposed to be?" questioned a man up at the very front. I took a step forward. "Look, this is every flower bloom in the continent." I said, turning each page until I found the Dawnchaser page. "Look here..." I pointed out the page as two, maybe four people were looking. I just needed a few people for me to believe. As long as they did, it was going to be alright. I got a few satisfactory nods and murmurs from the people who had the opportunity to look at the page. "And here..." I quickly turned to the mini guide on taking care of the flowers. I scanned the pages until I found the Dawnchaser one. Once again, I pointed out the facts written in there. They all looked convinced. "Hey, mister, could you show me the Rose segment?" requested a woman near me. I obliged. Turns out that that particular question was the final nail in the coffin. I flipped to where she asked and there laid the details on the Roses. Then, she was convinced.

I took a step back, "Everyone, we just need to replant the Dawnchasers within three days or else they will die." I explained. "You all purchased our Dawnchasers four days ago and the flowers you have in your homes now are, most probably, already dead. Is that correct?" they all agreed. It appears that I have done my job. "Tomorrow, we will restock on Dawnchasers. So I ask everyone to replant them if they ever wish to have them in their homes." As I finished, they all walked away, convinced.

That was also the first time I had to speak in front of dozens of people. I do have to admit, it was nerve racking to say the least. I could feel my legs trembling from fear. Does everyone experience this kind of fear? Do even nobles who speak in front of hundreds even feel the single drop of anxiety from this kind of ordeal? We are just people. After all, we are bound to wear out eventually. But, some do strive to break the limits of man and go even further beyond the possible.

I exhaled loudly, relaxing as everything was calmer. Maybe it's just me, but I am sweating a ton and I only noticed it now. I took off my robe. A small snarl crept over my face as I saw the tomato stains. That wasn't a good sight. Well, whatever. I just have to wash it like last time. I neatly folded the robe and placed it on the foot of the rack near the entrance.

"I did not know you could speak professionally..." Nolva cheered me on. "Professionally...?" "Yes, it was quite the sight..." she smiled. I'm not sure I followed her or even understood what she meant by that, but I took it as a compliment. It's not everyday I get to have a compliment told straight to me from a woman. We both went upstairs after semi-locking the front door. Surely, we didn't want random people having free access to the cash behind the counter.

We were greeted upstairs by a ton of paperwork and a frizzled up Carrie nose deep in said papers. I knocked on the door twice as to get her attention, as she didn't really pay much attention to our arrival. She perked up from the papers and took off her glasses. She doesn't really look much different. "Oh, you two, how's the stuff going on downstairs?" "The riot was dealt with..." I answered her with a generous amount of confidence. As soon as she heard what I said, she drooped down from her seat and exhaled loudly. "Ugh... thank goodness... did they also learn about replanting them Dawnchasers?" Nolva nodded for me. "Then, you two go back downstairs and do regular work. I'll be up here, dealing with these..." she let out her arms, pointing at the two large piles of paper works at both her sides. We bowed and closed the door, making our exit silent.

We made our way downstairs. I took my apron from the rack and wore it. I might need to buy an apron for myself. This apron wasn't as good smelling as my robes. I mean, before the tomato stains, of course. The smell was a minor inconvenience, at best. But the fact that I had to wear it for the rest of the day was getting to me fast. I made a mental note to myself and proceeded to work. Noticing that Nolva was standing behind the counter, I immediately grabbed the water bucket. "The flowers were already watered, Roxas..." she spoke softly. "Oh, right..." laughing rather awkwardly, I put it back down and went behind the counter. I checked the specific bag where the curren for Dawnchasers go. I shook the bag a little, but no luck. Empty as a ghost town.

I grabbed a chair and sat just beside her. There wasn't much anything else to do. Really, this was the first time in this job of mine that I actually had nothing to do. All the flowers were tended to and the cashier was being piloted by Nolva. So it was free time for me. Never had much free time until today. Well, this was my fourth day on the job, so...

For a few moments, all I could hear was Nolva's breathing. The sounds of the outside weren't able to reach inside. Once again, we shared this comfortable silence. I was ready to fall asleep by myself. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes. Boredom struck me as hard as that one kid that threw a rock at me. Never met him again. Never saw him again. Though I overheard that he went missing a few days later.

I glanced at Nolva. She looked rather uncomfortable. Leaning forward, I asked her. "Hey, you okay? You seem jittery..." "Oh, it's nothing..." "Come on... Here." I stood up and handed her the chair. She was now hesitant to take it. I pushed the chair towards her, insisting that she would take it. She didn't appear keen on accepting my offer. No matter, I'd rather do things my way anyway. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. Besides..." I muttered as I made her sit down. She was still tall enough to have her head just above the counter. "...I can adjust where no people are willing to adjust." I proceeded to sit on the floor.

I glanced at her again. Now she was relaxed.

Huh, never thought I cared for anyone but St. Paula. Not in a romantic way for her, but I still cared. She was like a mother I never had. Or aunt. But still, I was surprised that I actually had the kindness in my heart to do selfless things for the girl in front of me.

She looked at me sweetly, as a way to say 'thank you' I presumed. I merely snickered and smiled under my hand. "Do you sell marionettes Nolva?" I asked her. It was about time we dealt with this silence. "Uh... Well... I did..." the look in her eyes saddened as she said those. I couldn't tell exactly what she felt, but it looked like to me that she was hurt. "...but then that didn't exactly work out as I wanted to..." her voice was cracking. She was definitely in pain.

Then I suddenly felt this urge. This weird urge to hug her. To tell her that it's alright. But I fought against it. I laughed inside my head. I laughed at myself. It would be weird. But, I want to comfort her. My mind was telling my body that I must suppress the feeling of hugging her. However, my heart was screaming loudly to comfort her. "Hey..." I murmured. I don't know how to approach this. At all. If anything, I would simply abandon all logic and trust in mere instinct. That, in itself, was not a good plan. "... what happened, really?"

Honestly, I needed more if I were to truly comfort her. "Well..." She straightened herself before speaking. "It was a long time ago..." Here we go. A story. I never been told a story since I was little and mother as still alive. "...you see, ever since my parents died in Atlas, my grandfather took me in. Maybe my memory is lying to me, but he was a sweet old man..." good for her. I smiled at what she said. At least she got to know her grandfather. "He was also the one that taught me how to make marionettes. It was, after all, the tradition in Atlas to make marionettes. Especially to those who passed away..." she held her hands close to her heart. I think that would explain those two puppets at the end of her house at what appeared to be an altar. "And..." then I saw it. Trickles of tears running through her face. "Then my grandfather passed away... And I didn't even get to say sorry to him..." my heart sunk deep and I felt uneasy. I know that deep in my heart, I shouldn't be asking this one question. But, I did anyways. I was disgusted. Even at myself. "What did you say to him...?" I hesitated.

"...I hate you..."

Then without even thinking about it, I held her hand. It was a risky move, but one I had to make. She was also shocked to see her hand in mine. I stared at her, her tears continued to flow. "Say... do you love your grandfather...?" I entangled my fingers with hers. She felt so warm and yet, I felt cold. She nodded. She can't seem to hold back her tears. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Besides..." I placed my other hand on top of hers, fully embracing her touch. "I never even had the courage to say to my own parents I love them..." If I was being truly honest, I did not have the slightest bit of recollection of saying 'I love you' to both my parents. They must've hated me for it. For that very chance slipped away.

"I'm sorry if I asked you what happened..." "N-no... Roxas, it's not your fault..." she stuttered. But it was my fault. I was the one who asked her that question in the first place. I was the one who made her cry. I held her hand a little tighter this time and said to her softly, "I know how it feels like to carry regrets..." I paused. Several memories flashed before my eyes as my breathing became a little bit heavier. "How they churn your stomach and make your heart ache..." She bit her left index finger, unsure what to respond to what I told her. I took her left hand from her mouth and held it gently. "I'm sorry... Truly..." I said, forcing a weak smile. Like her, I was unsure of what to do next. "Roxas... I-"

Then a customer barged in our shop. Sadly, we were just about to reconcile with each other. Unfortunate timing. I quickly grabbed a piece of clean cloth and wiped her tears.

And just like that, reality came crashing down unto the two of us.

Not even giving us a chance.


	13. Chapter 13:A Promise Under The Moonlight

"Uh... Nolva...?" I approached her. I steeled myself, trying to at least act natural in front of her. I know she doesn't like people who are indecisive, so I will try to make this as quick as possible.

It has been exactly four months since I first started working at Carrie's Flower Shop. I hate to admit it, but I do like the life that I'm living. Sure, it does get a little bit tedious with all the house chores and errands that constantly needed to be attended to, but overall, I am content with the life I am living as of this moment.

I would consider four months a long time. It's like a one-third of a year has passed by. But, for some odd reason, a reason I'm trying to puzzle in, I just couldn't stay away from the sword. The same sword that the hero of the Border Wars gave me. It's really funny when I think about it. Interesting enough, I am not suited for the flames of war. I mean, I spent my whole life cooped up in a house where the kitchen floor is considered my bed. Every night, I would come and stare at the hilt of the blade and every damn time, I would fall victim to its unusual seduction. It would entice me to wield it. It had a voice I couldn't stay away from. And every time it did, I went outside and swung it every now and then.

Somehow, somewhere deep in my own heart, I knew I was enjoying it. Swinging the blade to my heart's content was some sort of dangerous virus that I contracted and ingrained into my mind. A thrill that I knew would be the death of me. Yet at the same time, my mind refused to give in. It was like a battle I couldn't simply 'just win'. It was a battle where there are no victors. Only losers. And, ironically as it may sound, I was definitely losing. Though I do not know which side I belonged to. I didn't want to know.

Despite the weird discrepancies with my sword, life inside my house was nothing worth crying over about. Everyday since then, it was only the mundane routine of eat, bathe, go to work, maybe buy something for the house, eat a little bit, then sleep. Rinse and repeat until I am where I am as of now. In front of Nolva, ready to ask her out.

Regarding the business with the flowers, customers are now, miraculously, satisfied with the Dawnchasers. They would come back some other times to buy one, maybe two more Dawnchasers for their household. I remember last month that business was so good that Carrie even told me that she was going to pay me like she pays Nolva. Sure the income from the Dawnchasers were now out of the question, but at least my income of curren was now pretty much ensured. Consistency was now the norm. Never do I have to worry about the lack of Dawnchaser purchases because I am now working for her full time. On top of that, the customers that we got for the past months we're now doubled that what they regularly got before me. So it was a good thought that I brought this much change in her business.

Well, enough about whatever was happening around me. Right now, in all honesty, I'm a bit anxious. I'm not going into a fight I'm going to regret, I'm not doing some grand decision, nor am I going to some mysterious place. No. Not any of that. In fact, what I am about to do is quite simple. But, somehow, even this simple task puts a heavier weight on my heart.

For the past few months, my attention was all taken away by one girl. That girl is none other than Nolva Carpenter herself. For some time now, she was all I could think of. I do admit, I did find her cute the second time we met. First time didn't leave much to the imagination. I mean, she literally tried to kill me in my underwear in the middle of nowhere. But when she is awake, she is this sweet girl that has an unwavering will. She always has this calming aura that would make anyone who comes near her slow down for a bit. Her smile is radiant and just tugs away at my heartstrings. The moments we shared during the last months only boosted this feeling of mine.

Only recently did I notice that my heart raced faster when I was with her. Further proof that I may have an interest in her. No, not an interest. But rather what I was feeling was absolute. Even with this feeling, at the back of my mind, silent and but ever so present, there's this weird feeling that I can't quite put my finger on. I don't even have the slightest idea on what my mind is telling me. If logic fails, we all depend of instinct. Was it doubt? I have no clue...

So, that is what I am about to do...

Nolva stared at me quizzically, her head slightly tilted to the right as I called her name. "Uh... Nolva... Do you have, like, some time after work...?" She let out a quiet 'hmm' as she gathered her thoughts. Then, she bowed her head down, just slightly, before looking back at me with the same energy she always had before. I swear I caught a glimpse at a hint of redness on her cheeks. Though, the redness did disappear by the time we had made eye contact. "Well... I do... why you ask?" "I was hoping we could spend some time together... You know... Go out somewhere? With me, I mean..." I stuttered.

I could feel my heart pound inside my chest as I said all those things to her. I tried breaking eye contact but I was frozen in place. My knees were shaking and my legs were about as motionless as a rock. I tried thinking of other things to eventually calm me down, but alas, every ounce of effort was futile as the upper part of my body was sweating through and through.

Can she see it, though? I hope not...

I totally expected a sound rejection, one with her shaking her head and running away with a face of disgust. I mean, that's what I totally expected in the first place. I expected it so much that it somehow became a given. What I mean is, just look at me. Take a look at the farmer boy who lost both his parents and has nothing to give. But, that wasn't the case. Instead, she looked at me with all the stars in the sky and a wide smile was plastered on her face. "I would be happy to, Roxas..."

A wave of relief and disbelief fell over me as I heard her words come right out of her mouth. A sudden chill ran down my spine as I realized the situation I was currently basking myself in. Though victory on my side was now given, what followed made my entire body fall on nervousness.

I now have to plan out how our date will go. I never actually think I'd get this far, so I was getting pretty pumped up and scared at the same time. Before I actually went to the counter and plan out how this was going to turn out, I'd have to do a risky reassurance. Why risky, though? I would think she would change her mind if I ask her again. Throwing caution to the wind, I breathed in deeply and asked, "So... It's a date?" she simply smiled. "Of course!" she replied.

I walked back to the counter and sat on the chair behind it, trying my best to hide the excitement dwelling within my body. I covered my mouth, itching myself to calm down and lose the smug I had on my face. Eventually, I had calmed down and entered a more controlled state. As controlled as I could get with a pounding heart, anyways.

It looks like she, too, is pretty excited. It's not too common to see her be this happy for anything. All the time she had this slightly content look on her face, yet had this longing feeling behind it all. But this time was different. She was actually radiant and blooming. Like Dawnchasers. Just the single thought of her now made my body feel funny.

Now, I had to focus. Fate has tasked me to make Nolva satisfied with our date later this evening.

The only problem is that I don't know where to start.

If I go way back to her roots, I may be able to find a clue. I can maybe ask her about those puppets she just simply loves. Maybe before that, we can walk around the flower field just outside of Corona. There, we could talk about anything. It would be a chance to get to know each other better. Still, she doesn't seem the type to talk too much. But she does open up to me. She even asked me to talk about my parents.

Speaking of which, the thought of my parents being long gone is now just a fleeting afterthought. Maybe, just maybe, my mind was at total peace now that I live a normal life. Maybe they just wanted me to live this way. No problems, no curse, no sorrow or pain, just a normal life in a normal region. As normal as Paradise Prairie could get anyways.

Recently I never heard from Marcus or Roger. I don't think it really is my concern to go about and look for them anyway. They seem to be just fine the way they are now. Although getting no contact whatsoever with them isn't really a welcoming thought, I like to think they are making amends somewhere. Somewhere where they could leave behind their crimes and live out their lives with only everyday things to worry about. Like laundry, or something like that.

Speaking of things that I never heard of, ever since I killed my father with my own two hands, I never actually got that voice in my head to talk again. I only noticed this last month where I was completely alone with my thoughts in the middle of the night. I was suffering from insomnia that time and I don't want to experience it ever again. I still didn't find out the reason why I was so restless that time. I just couldn't sleep. But regarding the voice, it simply disappeared. I could only think of two reasons. One, is that the curse is now full circle and I will get to experience what my father has experienced most of his life. Or two, I may just be insane enough to convince myself that the reason behind all of this is told to me by a voice in my head. If I was a normal person, I would've thought of the latter.

But realizing that I am no longer fit to be called normal, it all added up perfectly.

These thoughts of mine ran amok for about several minutes until I snapped back into reality. I dozed off, Nolva looked at me with a good amount of concern after she snapped her fingers twice. "Huh...?" "Get a hold of yourself, Roxas..." I ran my hand through my hair, admitting to my mistake. "Yep... My bad..."

She ruffled my hair and smiled in response before proceeding upstairs to discuss matters with Carrie, leaving me up front on the counter. I silently accepted my fate and allowed just a mere fraction of my thoughts in.

I didn't want to daydream at the middle of work now, do I?

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"All right, you two. It's closing time." Carrie announced as she was at the door, about to exit as she was already wearing her night coat. "I'll leave the rest to the both of you..." she waved and the next thing we knew, she was gone.

At least my 'boss-worker' relationship with Carrie has improved greatly. And, funny enough, she didn't even bother when I bought my own apron. She just shrugged it off and told me not to worry about it. I do have to admit, though, she does get rather lazy at times. But that's just part of the work right? We get worn out, exhausted, then frustrated about how life is atrociously unfair, but somehow we just sleep it off and wake up better the next day to do it all over again.

It's kind of comical.

But I was getting nervous. Closing time meant beginning my date with Nolva. I could break from all the pressure put on me, right now. But I knew I just couldn't break. My dignity is on the line. And Fate couldn't be any more kinder than what it gave me a few hours ago. This is an opportunity that is only given once in a lifetime.

Besides, my heart has concluded that I like her.

"Hey, ready to go?" I etched her on, just as she was about done locking the store. Locking up the store was kind of frustrating for both me and Nolva. We had to deal with rusty chains and four different locks, each with a unique twist to it. I remember Carrie being all excited just explaining it to me during my first month working under her. It was also the time Nolva slept for three whole weeks. So I literally had to do everything myself. Looking back, it was a good situation to practice my responsibilities. She sighed as she finished locking the fourth and final lock. She looked at me with a smile. "So... Where are we going?" she wondered, a glint of excitement was evident in her voice. "Well... Let's see..." I paused, doing everything to remember what I planned for our date.

Luckily, in just a few seconds, I remembered the plan. Crystal clear as day.

"Remember that new place that opened up a few blocks from here?" "Hmmm... That tavern? I heard that place was good...". A smile formed at may face, knowing that she agreed to it. Directly or not. I grabbed her hand and lead the way. "'Cuz that's where we're going!"

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The tavern was a bit small. Considering it was pretty new, it didn't really have much to compensate for most customers. Both of us were pretty much the first to be there. That meant dinner hour was fast approaching and we closed up shop earlier than usual. We made our way to a round table with two chairs, just in the middle of the tavern. The smell of alcohol and brine filled my nose, prompting both me and Nolva to cover our noses.

It seems she is unfamiliar to the scent, as well.

I offered her a seat before taking mine. "The smell is overwhelming, don't you think Roxas?" Not even ten seconds in and she is already talking. Not that I am complaining. Not in the slightest, no. "You don't like it? You wanna go somewhere else?" I suggested as I stood up and offered her my hand again. It _would_ appear that she isn't too pleased with how I chose our dinner place. "Oh, no. It's tolerable... Really." she reassured me, making me sit back down.

I hope I'm actually doing this right.

"Well... I'm not used to the smell too, either, so..." I replied, answering her question a few moments ago. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought for a second that you asked me out for me to drink with you..." "Well, this _is_ a tavern. So we could..." I joked, smirking at her and elbowing her arm. She chuckled, "Hehe, nope! Not even one drop!" she exclaimed, raising one finger.

We talked for a while, or maybe even several minutes, as the tavern began filling up. Peasants and workers alike from Corona, mostly men, filled the new tavern. It was beginning to be cramped. This was definitely not good. I turned to Nolva, "Hey, why don't we just get our food and go somewhere quiet...?" I whispered to her, my entire upper body leaning on the table. She silently nodded as we made our way to the tavern counter. I asked the keeper to follow up on our orders.

In a flash, he returned with a, surprisingly, clean cloth that wrapped our food in there. It was still hot to the touch. I paid 78 curren, cheaper than most meals served in Corona, and made our way outside, our fingers still entwined during all of it.

"Roxas..." "Yeah...?" "Why did you suddenly want to leave...?" "To tell you honestly, I was looking around the filling tavern as men were coming in. Then I noticed some brutes eyeing you suspiciously." "Oh... R-really?" "They looked like trouble to me, so I made the decision for us to leave early." I looked back at her after I finished explaining.

Her face was flushed in redness. "T-thank you..." I heard her mumble. I wanted to hear it one more time. But I know she couldn't say it out lout again. "Hm? You were saying something...?" I pretended to not hear what she said. She got flustered and rapidly shook her head, covering her face with her hands, finally letting my hand go. "N-nothing!"

Heh, cute...

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I didn't have a plan B after successfully evading a bunch of perverted brutes. So I just prompted Nolva to go to her house again.

We didn't really do anything special. We just ate a bunch of low quality food that weren't really up to both of our tastes since we knew how to cook by now.

Yeah, we taught ourselves how to cook. I taught her how to cook stews and soups, while she returned the favor by teaching me fried dishes, mostly revolving around meats and stuff. For a few months, my dishes and meals gradually became better. I was finally confident in my skills as a cook.

I do hope she feels the same. After all, she did almost scald my feet once. She overdid pouring some water the first time I taught her. And I almost burned down her house once, too. So it was a win-win for us. Or was it lose-lose? I'm not so sure.

After we begrudgingly finished our half-baked meal, we just stared at each other for a while.

It was times like these that I truly appreciate her presence. Sure, she won't talk. She isn't the chatterbox type, after all, but her presence is all I need. It was calming, this silence we both share at this moment. I looked around and saw the same marionettes hung up on her ceiling.

I guess it's time to talk about that one, huh?

I straightened myself on my chair, catching Nolva's attention while I was at it. "Do you make those...?" I pointed at all the marionettes on the ceiling. With a wide smile on her face, she nods. "Yes, I made them all myself. I even gave them names, too. Here..." she stood up for a bit and grabbed the nearest marionette within her one meter grasp. She grabbed a rather beautifully dressed marionette, it's face was polished and the puppet itself was very well articulated. "...Her name is Lilian. She's the youngest of all the family." "Lilian, huh? Does that mean she's new?" Nolva didn't say anything, but rather nodded her head enthusiastically.

I say, her marionettes must be her passion, huh?

She then showed me six more marionettes, each with their own stylistic clothing and names. Then a question formed in my mind that was immediately followed with doubts. But, after all, it's not too bad to ask her, right? "Uhm... Nolva?" "Huh? Uh, y-yes? Roxas?" I stopped her in the middle of introducing me to Pauline. "Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering..." "Yes...?" "Have you tried selling these...?" "No... They're precious to me. But..." "But what?" "But I am afraid that I am ruining Atlas tradition..." that made me chuckle just a little bit. Just a little. I held her hand, "You're not... If you sell these, you could bring smiles to children in Corona." I said, reassuring her. "Wait, what am I saying? Not _just_ in Corona, but in ALL of Vendacti! I assure you!"

We both shared a laugh, finally the ridiculousness of the idea settled within me. "It sure is nice to dream, Roxas..." she said, raising up Pauline before me.

For a while, it was silence again. This awkwardness really needs to be reduced.

I looked outside her window, trying to break the ice. I inspected the environment outside. I know the night is cold, but I could feel the frost crawl up from the corner of the windowsill. Just beyond the glass pane, a field of flowers was in full view. Though, not as 'full view' as I described it, the window wasn't entirely clean. "What did you see?" Nolva looked at me with curious eyes. "How about me go outside for a bit? I saw a field of flowers just outside..." She didn't hesitate and nodded accordingly. I took up her hand and went outside.

"Should we be in the middle of the patch...?" I questioned her. "No..." she disagreed. "Did you forget we take care of flowers?" I couldn't answer her. I looked at the open plains beyond Corona. This was a side I didn't see often. It lead to the sea, if one were to walk straight from here. To the very south, the farthest you could get from the Kingdom of the Sun. I merely took the moon's glow as the gentle breeze came from the sea. The faintest scent of salt can be caught wind of if one were to truly pay attention.

I don't know what lies beyond the south sea. No one has ventured out there and return alive, nor sent a message of where they are. Only the horrifying thoughts of the dangerous waters only imagination could provide.

"Is something wrong, Roxas...?" Nolva called out to me, breaking my line of thought. I shook my head and turned to look at her instead. She was kneeling before the flowerbed, presumably admiring the flowers. "No, nothing of the sort..."

Nolva sighed as she stood up and looked at me in the eyes. Concern and fear flashed in her eyes as she held both my hands."Geez, you really have to stop getting lost in your own thoughts..." "Hmph... Yeah, I probably need to, anyways." "Tell me, Roxas..." she gripped my hands tighter. "...about your family. You promised me a story, remember?"

Now that I think about it, she did ask me once all those months ago. All she did was ask, though. I do not recall a total promise. But, it wouldn't hurt if I got the thought off my chest now, would it?

I'm still not over the fact that they're gone...

"Well... Sit down if you want to listen." As soon as she heard me, she sat down immediately. Looks like someone is eager to listen to me. I say, it does feel nice to have someone to listen to you. Like they're willing to empathize with you. Even when the empathy is just a little. Just a tiny speck, I would appreciate it. But having someone's full attention meant something else.

"Where do I begin...?" I pondered. "Maybe when you were a child...? That's where I want you to start." "Very well, then. Okay..."

 _All my childhood was just going around and "playing" with mother. I didn't have much friends to begin with, and mother and father didn't have enough to pay for school. So, I just sat at home. When I was just below ten years of age, my father used to be a traveller. He would travel all around Vendacti and bring home some treasures. Some useful, some were not. But they were good keepsakes, at least. He brought me books to compensate my lack of actual education. I would let mother teach me how to read and write, and soon enough, I found myself reading and writing without a sweat. She taught me the basics, too. One day, father brought home a literature book. It was the hardest read I could ever have done when I was a child. But, as years go by, I would reread it again and again until my mouth was refined. A tongue just slightly better than the average person. When I was ten, mother became direly ill. For reasons unknown even to me. I planned to ask father but somehow the topic just couldn't get between the both of us. Father stopped travelling and started farming and growing crops for mother's sake. He would grow vegetables to help her heal. Buy herbs to cleanse her everyday. He did all he could with his own hands. I did the same, I wanted mother to be better so badly. A few days after my twelfth birthday, mother passed away. For months, my father would grieve and refuse to speak, even to me, his own son. He became somber as the years went by. The curse became worse, too. Usually it was me and mother to purge him from the monstrous effects of the Eclipse. In those_ _5 long years, I felt an absurd amount stress and the constant fear of losing my life. And recently, a few months earlier, he sent me to retrieve a pendant he lost in Totemtaff and I miraculously found it. A pendant that was treasured by both him and mother. As I returned, I was forced to kill my own father. The half of the curse now being reunited in it's fullest form. I lost not only my father, but my dearest friend before I took my father's life. She died in a fire. I didn't even apologize to her. The white robe I wear all this time is my memorial of her. It is, also, the burden I carry everyday. The things my parents left behind either comforts me, or haunts me with constant dread. And now, I live on. Hoping their sacrifices weren't in vain..._

"So this curse of yours... Do you still have it...?" "As much as I hate to say it, yes..." "This... curse... what _is_ it, anyways...?" Only then did I realize that what I had in my veins, I did not truly understand. How could I? How could I even begin to understand? The voice's testimony did not even feel like it was the entire truth altogether. Maybe my memory is faulty, but I did remember it pleading for me to believe it. Of course, I did not bother to question nor did I have any right to judge and accuse. I was clueless. As much as I want to seize my own destiny, the reason and the truth are not entirely clear.

"I... don't really know what it is..." I stared at my right hand. It was still wrapped in bandages. I haven't replaced these in a while, too. The last time I did was months ago, ever since my father died, I guess. I did my best to ignore the throbbing pain and, frankly enough, I was doing a pretty good job until she brought it up. Now it's a presence I just couldn't seem to ignore completely. Ironic when she is the one who usually brings me comfort. "But what I do know is that it helps me..."

Nolva tilted her head to the left, "Helps you...?". I massaged the temple of my head. Even I get confused at what I say most of the time. "I can't really find the right words for this, but..." I unraveled the bandages from my hand, all the way down to my forearm. I was surprised to see my own milky white skin as it contrasted to the tan coloration of my entire arm. Even under the glow of the moonlight, the radiance is still awe-inspiring. "... this symbol... this takes life, the soul energy, and gives them all to me. Rebuilding me from the blood it stole..." I said, turning to Nolva who was desperately trying to respond with anything. Her silence even shattered my own collected state of mind. Wrapping the bandages around my arm again, I continued "...Or at least that's what I noticed anyways..."

Though that last statement was nothing short of a poorly built lie. That isn't what I noticed. It's what I truly _saw_. I tried to at least make her calmer. Though, it was all useless. "Roxas..." was all she could mutter before holding my right hand, the pain throbbing even harder. I winced at the pain. Though I tried to hold myself together, the pain was too much. It was close to a Longtail Beast's fang digging into my flesh as seconds go by. It was slowly getting more agonizing. Soon, I found myself screaming into my robe, trying to silence the screech of agony. "Roxas? Roxas!? What's wrong?" Nolva panicked. She pushed every ounce of her strength to shake me a little, the efforts of helping me hold my composure was all for naught. Although, coincidence or not, the pain did subside soon enough and I could feel my lungs work again. I felt my body drop to the ground as I felt heavier.

Soon, darkness enveloped me once again.

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I found my head resting on Nolva's lap, hopelessly gasping for air. I took a look at my surroundings again. We were still at the flower field outside of her house.

She held my head in her hands and gently laid me down on her lap again as she whispered, "Ssshhhh... It's okay Roxas... No need to panic." "Ugh... How long was I out...?" my head throbbing, too, my hand making it's way to my forehead, the back of my hand resting on top of it. "About... A few minutes..."

I didn't bother to ask anymore questions. I needed the time to rest up. I wanted to savour the moment of being with her in this moment.

"Roxas..." she said, caressing the side of my face. "This curse you have... Does it hurt others?" I silently nodded. It was true. Whether it did help me or not, the effect it has on other people and the strain I suffer from begrudgingly holding it, it was not pleasant. I was literally taking life and putting that essence into my own. "Why do you ask...?" "Roxas, please, I care for you..." those words. Those very words sounded so good. But, somehow, my heart said otherwise. Joy was running through my body, though that same joy paralyzed me. "... I don't want you to hurt others just so you can live on. This curse... It has a bad influence on you!" she was now pleading. Her voice was breaking. "So... Will you promise me one thing Roxas?" "Yes, Nolva...?" if I wanted to do anything for her, it would be this. 

"Don't ever draw that sword ever again, okay...?"


	14. Chapter 14: Messages

It's been a full year since that promise.

Life here in Paradise Prairie was gradually getting better. Somehow. As of now, even though a lot of time has passed, nothing too remarkable has happened around me. Still the same tedious routine everyday, the usual customers and the same scenery. To be completely honest, it was getting boring fast. Not that boring is any bad, it's just that things are unchanging that you sometimes wish that something exciting would happen.

But what made the time tolerable, worth it even, was my relationship with Nolva. Ever since our first date, we've been going out more often. Even to the point where we have time for each other everyday, and all the times we spent together, we treasured. She became more open and is able to talk to me whenever she pleased. To my surprise, she was now sociable and no longer shy. Though, she was able to retain her soft voice. That aspect of her is what I like about her.

I am currently standing in for Nolva. Not just the counter, but the entire shop in general. She's been asleep for two months now and I am missing her. Really missing her. I know I shouldn't really be complaining when she's out cold and sleeping because, well, it's her nature. There is nothing that I could possibly do to even change her. I just have to deal with the constant fatigue and pressure in running the shop solo. Carrie was still the same as ever. The considerate, loud and brash manager that me and Nolva share. A few days from now and I'll be getting a raise.

Maybe now I'll be able to improve on things needed to be improved on in my house.

"Roxas! How are the sales today?" Carrie's voice carried down as the person herself followed a few moments after, in which she made her way beside me, inspecting the cashier. "Hmm... nothing too special, just some regular customers and two new ones I haven't seen..." I said as I tried my best to recall today's customers. "Oh! And the new ones bought the more expensive Dawnchasers, too, so an added bonus...?" "A bonus, all right!" As she took out the curren from the box, she stopped in her tracks. "Also... I'm getting worried about Carpenter..." the tone of her voice lowered into a more somber one, "When is she coming back...?" that's the question I've been asking myself for a while now, too. "I... don't really know when..."

The both of us paused, realizing Nolva's situation. Worse case scenario, Waverlyde lead her to somewhere far. It may sound farfetched, but it is a thought worth thinking on.

I remember that Nolva made up with Waverlyde when she first knew of him. "It was a strange encounter." she said, "...but one I am most certainly happy with!" I kind of get it from her. On why she would say that, that is. It's always nice having a friend with you, but it's even better when said friend is always with you whenever you go. That one friend will always be with you, through thick and thin.

Although I do have to wonder, what kind of unrelenting stress can that unbreakable bond cause between the two? Does Waverlyde even hear Nolva's thoughts? If so, I am more than surprised she kept her sanity all this time. I know I would break from that sort of ordeal, but that's just me. Maybe it's because of her sweet naivete that she managed to hold herself together all this time they've been together. Or rather, their whole lives. But I would rather go back to that comforting thought of always having a friend with you.

Because, to be honest, it's hard to get someone who would be loyal to you. Even so, I never even had a friend before all of this happened. So, who am I to judge?

"Oh well, you know Nolva..." I mumbled. Whether Carrie caught wind of my comment or not, it didn't really matter. I laid back on my chair as my heart sank deeper as the thought of Nolva coming back enveloped my thoughts. Somehow, she was all I could think of. In the meantime, Carrie made her way upstairs, leaving me to my own devices.

I just sat there. Just sat there. Fully engrossed in my thoughts. Once again, the feeling of lost came back. I don't know how long since the last time I experienced this. Whenever I was feeling blue, these static echoes in my mind would haunt me for the next hours or so. It was, what I would call, a horrid experience. Though calling it 'horrid' would be a dramatic understatement.

Well, could I really blame myself? I did not have a good sense of morality since mother died. Or rather, the conscious morality faded. Like a slate being wiped off, or a part of you that was forgotten.

I was lost in transition.

So was father. Indeed, we were lost in our own worlds. But, along with my mother, it seems as though he also lost his sanity. Maybe I'm just overthinking things. The stuff that happened in the past drained me of all emotions. What happened only gave me despair and nothing more. All those years of struggling, fighting, and the desperation to "live", was all in the past.

I am willing to not look back. And, thinking about it thoroughly enough, I am quite glad that these recent events happened. Well, most of it anyway. I, of course, wasn't happy about father and St. Paula leaving, but it happened. There wasn't much I could do. St. Paula was beyond my own intervention, of course, and father was only doing it out of his free will. That was something I couldn't judge and change myself.

Say, I never quite realized it myself, but I was never truly free. Though, in my whole life of confinement, I haven't truly tasted freedom. I don't even know if I feel free or not. The out of place heaviness bounded in my heart was one of the evidences to this.

"Freedom is such a beautiful word..." my mother said to me when we were reading over that small literature book. I do have it on me, though. I reached into my robe that conveniently made a pocket every time I wanted something on the go. I always bring it with me, though reading it was another story entirely. Not once did I ever open these pages. I held it in front of me, rotating it, examining it's features one by one. It really was an old book, although a few years off is just a small number.

On the back, it had the initials of my mother carved in delicate cursive., " _R.L.A._ " Almost like royalty, mind you.

I sighed. I didn't have much to do today. I do have to admit, today is one of those slower days at the flower shop. Those days aren't really fun to deal with, honestly. It's just frustrating. Well, frustrating if you have zero ways to pass the time.

This isn't one of those times, fortunately.

I carefully opened the book. The dust that was collecting within it's pages took me by surprise. Some got to my nose, prompting me to cough and sneeze. We're off to a good start now, aren't we?

I turned my attention to the desk, checking if dust got on anywhere. Luckily, there wasn't much. I would be annoyed if there was, though. The cleanliness of the work place is all on me.

Now that I read it again after all these years, this book is just a collection of small, bite sized stories that little kids can learn from. I thoroughly read each line and found out that each sentence was about as articulated as a well written document from a nobleman. It was a bit of a surprise. Well, to me, that is. How this tiny book ended up in the hands of a lower class man was beyond me. But, even still, I am grateful that it went that way.

Now I truly understood how I got the vocabulary I have today. It's funny when I think about it now. A farmer boy talking as well as an educated royal prince. It was amusing, to say the least.

I skimmed through each story. Not one was the same as the last. Each had it's own unique twists and turns. Some even had- how can I put this lightly? -very questionable endings and lessons.

One such instance was a girl who sold torches. It is stated here, "She lit her torches for the fifth time this evening, and then everything became as bright as the Sun. Then dark, before she woke up the very next day." The lesson stated that she was dreaming, and that everything that she saw was only a fabrication of her own mind. But what made it considerably horrifying, is that the last part was crossed out.

My stomach churned as I read that last line over and over again. It was like a horrible addiction that I couldn't just get rid of.

Rubbing my eyes off, I shook my head in disbelief. Was the author bold enough to put this in here? Or rather, too insane to even consider who would read this book? Innocence can often times put a person off guard. This was such an instance.

I do remember father telling me of a war fought ages past, where everybody, **everybody** , lost their innocence in exchange for a struggle. "It was a war unlike any..." he said. I do doubt he himself would fight in that war. To be honest, he was a mellow sort of guy. He avoided any unnecessary conflicts and was generally pretty passive.

Well, I wish he _was_ passive anyway.

The war itself was kind of a memory everyone would remember. It was an easy act of reminiscing the historical event. It was, after all, the most important war to date.

It was the Border Wars.

Though I do not remember how the war began, nor do I have any sort of clue what happened. I, of course, was not present in that time. All I knew was that everything changed after that. A once peaceful kingdom that had relatively good ties with the Desert Kingdom became overrun with chaos and desperation. Everybody was eloping left and right and what remained of the royal families and people of nobility were all on the edge of usurpation.

That, curiously, is what father thought anyway.

I'm sure that the paranoia the war inflicted upon it's survivors would eat at their minds from the inside out. Father said everyone was as crazy as the next. As a love story would unravel, that is how he met mother. He was a lucky bastard.

And how lucky was their son? Not so much, unfortunately.

I glanced at the back part again, looking at my mother's initials with absolute confusion. Clouds of doubt now envelop my mind. Did she write this? Hopefully not, I thought, but judging from the handwriting and how the words are articulated says otherwise.

I closed the book, thoroughly disgusted on what I have discovered. I put it down and began to recognize my surroundings again. The flower shop was still as empty as ever. Sweat trickled from my forehead as I realized that the air was quite humid.

Though the hot air could not hinder my train of thought, I did dwell on the matter more. The matter of which my mother wrote a morbid book. I did wrap my head around the possibility that my mother could've wrote that book. Heck, I would welcome it the more I thought about it.

While that's all fine and dandy, the only thing that didn't make much sense was my mother crossing out a few key phrases from each story.

I can't bring myself to tarnish the few remaining memories of my dearest mother. I guess **this** is what they call love. As much as my heart aches to say it, I do love my mother enough to consider that she herself _didn't_ cross out those phrases. If she wanted me to read these stories, then she couldn't possibly be sane enough to omit anything important. I know for a fact that she would treasure my comprehension when I read this book, leaving no error for misunderstanding.

Maybe I am lying to myself and maybe what I am droning on about would sound too good to be true, but looking back, my mother, Roselia Lieselotte Alderan, was as perfect as a mother could get.

But, like all good, perfect things, they had to come to an end. And I was the one foolish enough to be unable to realize it sooner.

We weren't a perfect family. That I can admit. But I did have a perfect mother.

I flicked a sweat drop from my cheek as the front door opened. My heart leapt from my chest as I saw who arrived.

It was Nolva.

"Roxas!" she cried out. I couldn't help myself, but I ran toward her. As I stood in front of her, her red eyes meeting my orange ones, did I truly feel at a loss for words. I tried opening my mouth, but nothing came out. "How long was I out...?" she asked timidly, breaking eye contact.

It took me the entirety of two seconds to realize that she asked me a question. Her mere presence caused a severe halt in my train of thought. "Huh? Oh... Uhmm... Around two months, I think?" I muttered, scratching the back of my head. "Really!? Did I miss anything important?" "Other than the fact that I covered for you, no. Nothing major." I said, turning back to her. "Oh... Uhm... Thank you, Roxas..." she said, blushing slightly.

I like the fact that she didn't feel the need to hide her burning face. It's little things like this that I appreciate between me and Nolva.

So, she simply wore her own apron and proceeded to work. My aching butt needed to get moving as she replaced me on the counter. Feeling as if there is a sudden need for the flowers to be watered, I gave in to this sudden instinct and began working again.

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"Roxas, are you planning to go somewhere tonight?"

"Hm? Not really, I'm going home after work. As for the usual..."

"Really? Then would you like to come with me to the outskirts of Corona? I've heard there is a travelling merchant there from the Desert Kingdom."

I laid down the second to the last flower pot out back as I pondered on her offer. At this point, any opportunity to hang out with her is a step closer to her. Whether each off comes from the either me or her, it doesn't matter as long as we get to go out together. Still, I do want to reorganize my utensils at home. I really want to get started on cleaning out the house inventory.

But nevertheless, I'll accept any offer she asks of me. I walked out of the storage room and answered her."Yeah, sure. I'll come with."

"Okay!" she eagerly said. "Let's get this over with, shall we?". She meant work. I nodded and proceeded to lay down the last flower pot with speed and care.

With a full year of experience under our belts (and the fact that the two of us are the only employees Carrie has), closing up shop was always left to the two of us. We were now what they call "trusted employees". As one might expect, Carrie already left a few minutes ago and we were the ones doing the cleaning. But who am I kidding? It's been always me and Nolva who does the cleaning.

I took off my apron, folded it, swung my white robe over me, and placed my folded apron into a conveniently materialized pocket inside it. "I'm going to wait for you outside, okay?" I told her as I headed out. "Okay" I heard her reply as the door closed behind me.

It was hours past twilight. As usual, Corona was lively. Though one might get tired of this usual scenery, I don't. It was like each night was a different celebration.

I enjoyed the sight, and as I was about to be fully lose myself in the moment, I heard Nolva locking the final lock of the shop.

For a flower shop, Carrie had an unsually large number of locks. Well, it does make sense ever since she had me as her employee and Dawnchasers as her main marketing strategy.

As promised, I accompanied her to outside the town. "There it is, Roxas. Come on!" she pointed at the distance then excitedly hurried along toward it. Lights of different colors were emanating from it and with it, came a large number of people.

As I approached the shop, I was entranced by something strange. I couldn't quite put it into words, but something about the shop was enticing to me. Artefacts big and small, flowers of different kinds that I recognize from the flower book, and some objects I've never even seen before.

"Yesssssss?" I heard a voice ask. I looked around but saw no one look at my direction. Only when I felt a tug on my robe did my eyes direct themselves to the person who tried to catch my attention.

It was a demihuman. Her entire upper body was human, but the same could not be said about her lower half. It disappeared into a lengthy, scaly snake body.

It was a curious sight, but I had to keep my comments to myself. "What can I interest you with?" she asked. "I don't really know. Let me look around first..." I answered honestly. She nodded and slithered away to attend to other customers.

I looked around and found myself quite confused on what to buy. More so, what the things around me actually are. It was a fairly unique experience, like looking into a kaleidoscope.

Several minutes into the bazaar, I gave up trying to look for something to buy. I instead opted to search for Nolva.

The enticing feeling of unknown origin was now gone.

After her little escapade of rushing into the shop and disappearing into the various stalls, we kinda got separated. If that wasn't obvious enough. Well, it's not difficult to lose your partner in this. Especially when colored lights and foreign objects litter and overwhelm every sense in your body. Moving around was a pain, too. You never know if the thing you're scraping against is a mystical artefact or a person. You'll know eventually, but by the time you do, it's already too late.

I heard something smash in the distance. I tiptoed and attempted to look above everyone as the sea of heads turned to look at where the sound came from. It didn't help. However, the silence did, as what followed was something no person in this bazaar dared to miss. Or so people thought. As if this was an important royal announcement or something.

Scandals often overrun a town like wildfire, consuming it until it is the only topic they ever talk about for a few days. I don't know the feeling of being at the receiving end of everybody's judgemental glares and snide comments, but I am sure that I am not willing to try.

I squeezed through the crowd and like insects, began to swarm to the incident. I barely managed to excuse myself to the very front to witness quite an odd sight.

A fairly aged woman, who is on the verge of tears, is constantly apologizing for her mistake. Whilst one of the two demihumans insisted that it was not big of a problem, the smaller one, who I assume to be the manager of sorts, started bickering something in their native language, both at the woman and the employee.

The first course of action that every fibre of my being insisted to do was to jump in there and stop them from causing any more trouble. The second course of action is what prevents me from getting attention from most people. Which is, of course, logic.

I guess I really do inherit one of my father's traits because I do not want to get involved with this incident, nor does it makes sense why I _should_ get involved in the first place.

Then I saw Nolva walking toward me after everyone had disappointed faces and began to disperse, back to minding their own businesses.

"What was that?" I asked her. While on the topic of the incident, I still am curious on what happened despite having sufficient information on what I've just witnessed. I guess one cannot be helped in joining in the gossip. "Oh, that? The lady accidentally touched a soul tablet because she couldn't read the writings on it. After she touched it, it fell down. Surely you have heard of it smashing, Roxas?" I nodded. This was good, but curiosity begets greed. "Did you catch what was written there?" She paused for a bit, then nodded. I sighed in relief, thinking 'Thank goodness you know'. "Well... It wasn't really interesting. That demihuman said it was a prophesy of some sort." "Prophesy? What did it say?" "Something along the lines of, 'Blood, Destiny, Eclipse' but that's about it. Three words, big prophesy."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the idea. It was laughable all the same. Imagine etching a few words unto a stone then selling it, claiming it to be a prophesy.

I do often wonder if people can actually look into the future. And even so, it isn't really a set point. I believe that a futures can be changed, and look where I am now. Enjoying a night out with a girl I like just because I refused to stay down with my father that particular afternoon.

Choices matter, and I strongly believe that the right ones will change everything.

In the end, Nolva bought this small jewel encrusted necklace that was made in the Desert Kingdom. It was beautiful, of course. But for a thousand curren, it was a price Nolva was willing to pay. Meanwhile I had nothing. Of course, I don't have any curren on me as of the moment because I just wanted to accompany her to this event.

"Say, when will the bazaar leave?" I asked her, the cold night breeze sweeping through my robe as a chill ran down my spine. "I actually have no idea. We should've asked..." "Yeah... More or less, they'll probably be gone by tomorrow dawn." "Hopefully not. I still want to buy more from them." "Like what?" I let out a small laugh as I said that. "I don't know." she laughed in response.

Despite being separated from earlier, at least we got time for each other now. For the first time in two months, I am now escorting her back to her house. It really wasn't far from the bazaar since it was outside Corona, but it meant double time for me when it was my turn to go home. But I'm not really complaining. The slower we get to her house, the better. I just wanna be with her for longer.

As if I'm going to go anywhere. Life right now, honestly, is as enjoyable as it could get. For the first time in forever, I'm finally getting vibes from this sort of thing.

Maybe this is what they meant by, "When you're happy, you'll know it!". Maybe _this_ is what happiness feels like.

"Well, here we are..." I said as we arrived at her house. Looking at it now, it was still the same as when I first visited her. Although, it felt more alive than the first time I saw it. "Hehehe, well I thank you, Roxas." she said, bowing just a little bit. "Are you sure it's okay for you to accompany me this far?" she asked me while opening the lock to her door. "Don't worry about me, okay Nolva? I get around just fine." I said confidently. Probably let out a little smirk there but whatever. "Okay, okay. I do trust you..." she murmured as she got inside. "Good night!" she closed it before I could say the same.

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I did not sleep last night.

The cold wind entered my house as it extinguished the last remnants of lamp fire. Slowly, I could see, the Sun was rising.

My body felt heavy as my eyes were groggy. I stayed up all night for reasons I still needed to remember.

But as I reluctantly read the paper in my hands over and over again did I realize as well my purpose for my lack of sleep. 

I want to give this to her today.


	15. Chapter 15: On The Run

The morning is so bright...

I figured it was time that I ready myself for the day. Sure, it's only the crack of dawn, but it's never actually bad to prep yourself for the day.

As for me, the lack of sleep is as present as pain. I look at myself in the mirror that I bought from three long weeks ago. I looked horrible. The darkness under my eyes couldn't be more noticeable until now. I have to admit it, though, it is my fault for doing this to myself. I hated the truth, but I couldn't hate it all the same.

I think that is what makes freedom so liberating and dangerous. It really makes you wonder what worse things you can not do yourself. For one, I was fully aware of the consequences to my body. As of this moment, it aches as it longs for a peaceful slumber.

But I couldn't help it. This piece of paper in my hand is a testament to that irresistible urge. My heart and my mind couldn't rest, but my body was unable to keep itself together.

I wanted to break down, right there and then, but there was so much to do today. Slamming my fist on the hardened floor, I picked myself up and proceeded to dress.

Ever since I was liberated from the shackles of my father, this place I call home was now honored with schedules I myself have created. Now, there was no longer a thing that would hold any activity back. There was always productivity and cleanliness to be had. And, after a long time, I was proud of myself.

I realized that, as painful as it may sound, the better life that I am living right now is the result of bloodshed and unspoken tears. But as I have said, I was willing to not look back. Now, right now, the only thing that one could look forward to is the future. And I'll happily be able to do just that.

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I arrived at the flower shop quite early. There weren't many people around, but some were already rearing their butts off to face the day ahead. It was your typical early bird sight here in Corona, but somehow, without a proper explanation, I could feel that this wasn't going to be a normal day.

I pulled down the hood of my robe as I sat on the nearest bench from the main door of the flowershop. A few blocks from here, I could see the main bulletin board as it is filled with it's usual onlookers and announcements.

A few moments later, no sign of either Carrie or Nolva, but someone has placed papers on the door. I often forget that Carrie herself was subscribed to the Kingdom's newspapers. I walked on over to pick the papers up. I am quite sure that Carrie wouldn't mind her newspapers being read.

But, I can assure you, anything else other than newspapers, she will find a way to make your life a living hell. Or until she calms down. Either way, it'll be quick anyways. Quick to anger, quick to forgiving, I say.

To be quite honest, I never once laid my hands on the Kingdom's newspapers. So I am certain that I have absolutely no idea what is happening in the Kingdom.

Helping myself to a boomshroom kebab from a food store nearby, I sat down on the public bench and began scrolling through the articles.

And, for someone who was outdated on everything since my birth, I was quite aware on some of the various issues shown in here. Some articles include, but are not limited to: _"Roger Acelin Still at Large: Bounty Steadily Increases_ " _"Farmers on Strike"_ and _"Major Sale in Corona Village!"._

Right now, it seems as though they had done a pretty good job emphasizing on Roger's whereabouts. I'm sure that they won't be able to find him soon, not that he had plans to stay in Paradise Prairie if I can remember it correctly. And besides, it's truly a dangerous game to be hiding right under the one's who are all out for your blood. I just hope he doesn't throw caution to the wind and do something unnecessarily stupid. But I know enough to know that that wouldn't happen at all. However, if something _does_ in fact happen, it won't be long before I spot him anywhere near that incident. The article reads, _"Roger Acelin still on the run from the Kingdom of the Sun. New reports sight him with a white wolf and a demihuman roaming around Paradise Prairie. Though, through more reliable sources, he's been spotted nestling himself in Corona Village. We advise our citizens to be on guard and report to your local authorities immediately if one is to encounter Roger Acelin"_

Looking at the other two articles, one I had a few ideas on while the other I am completely aware of it. The former, which is _"Farmers on Strike"_ , was an over-exaggeration of a simple convention. It all happened a few days ago when all of the farmers of Paradise Prairie would come together once every year to discuss their crops and stuff. I only came because I was invited, and partly because they had good food that I am too poor to buy. Anyway, they all had this heated argument about Longtail Beasts frequently roaming the land. I just volunteered to sweep them up, even though there are only a few incidents of Longtail Beasts these past few months. I remember a Kingdom reporter came in unexpectedly during that one heated argument and went to eavesdrop outside. It was kind of stupid, I have to admit, because everything written here is overkill.

Meanwhile the article, _Major Sale in Corona Village!",_ is just a recap on what happened last night. Apparently, the article reads, _"'The broken stone tablet holds an important prophesy', demihuman merchant says. 'Only those who have read it on that night, the others being the other merchants I came here with, know about the said prophesy. ' How important this prophesy, we will never know as the interviewee refuses to give more information on the matter at hand."_ The other details of the article only refer to this as the biggest sale the desert merchants have had over the last five years. Which, to me, sounds incredible.I don't know how difficult it is to sell items, especially when you're in the middle of the desert, but I can tell that it requires the dedication and patience in order to do so.

But the definitive article that truly caught my interest was the main article that covered the front page entitled, _"New Royal Family Welcomed!"._

The article reads, _"The Carlos family welcomes a new addition to the ranks of royalty within the Kingdom of the Sun._ _The new family, which, for most people, has been beautifully renamed as the Lovell family will be receiving their own Dawnchaser seed as soon as the arrangements are complete. The family's exemplary contributions and discoveries has rightfully earned them a place in the noble houses in the Kingdom of the Sun. However, the family history has some shady depth to it, as the Lovell family was quite known for their notorious acts of corruption and domestic violence. These were the grounds in which they have settled into to consider their inclusion within the royal families. Despite their questionable history, they have redeemed themselves and have had their fair share of struggles. Now, they will be the first family to have ever received a Dawnchaser seed since the Aldric family."_

Exemplary contributions and discoveries, huh? Is that what it takes? I am quite sure that earning a place, let alone being rightful, in the world of royalty is no joke. I doubt that a simple idea as an act of heroism will be enough to make me noble. But not many systems are just and true. After all, money is as much of importance in the upper classes like the blood that runs in our veins. Well at least my suspicions were correct, they do in fact look into your family's background. And looking at myself, I would have little to no chance of getting this type of grand recognition. Quite frankly, I would agree with most of them if they ever do say that right in front of my face. My grandfather's records was lost and his whereabouts are unknown, my mother died from an unknown disease, my father died by my hands, and now their son is an employee at a flower shop. An anti-climactic ending to a line where bloodshed was the only way.

And I wouldn't be surprised if bloodshed was truly my only path. Even though I made a promise to Nolva, I still have a feeling that everything that she did to prevent me from picking up my blade would all be for naught. Even if she stood there, arms across and obstructing my path.

But this article really bothered me, like an itch you cannot reach. I read it twice, leaving no room for error. And, I think I have found it. "First family to have ever received a Dawnchaser seed since the Aldric family". I remember mother telling me about the Aldric family. She told me her aunt was an Aldric but her aunt really didn't know about her existence because she herself ran away from home.

In a way, I am royalty, though blood isn't really important compared to the status that you have right now.

So the Lovell family is the first family to have become royalty in twenty years. That's all right, I thought, but a small detail was bugging me through and through, and that was the Dawnchaser seed.

Is the Dawnchaser flower really that important to them? How come they only give out only one seed to a royal family? I know that someone gave father a full box of Dawnchaser seeds, and they're currently in my possession, but we are not royal. Let alone be worthy of a box full of them.

So why? Why did someone have the absolute authority to simply give us a box of the Kingdom's prized flower seeds? I am still not sure if Dawnchasers are _really_ that important, but assuming that they are, my situation has gotten itself more confusing by the minute. And as the confusion grows, the aching feeling of foreboding negativity ensues.

I put down the papers and finished my boomshroom kebab. A few minutes has only passed. Of course, no significant activity was following. No sign of Nolva and Carrie, either.

It seems that I am going to kill time for now. So, I took out the small story book my mother wrote from my robes and began reading everything.

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It was beginning to be significantly hotter. It was now hours past early dawn and people are now rumbling about the village, focused on their own tasks in mind.

Me? I'm sitting here with Nolva on the bench.

"I hope Carrie hurries up. It's scorching, don't you agree?" she turned to me, seeking my agreement. I merely nodded as I look at her. She was sweating now. A few more hours and we were going to be drenched in our own sweat. "Say, let's go somewhere cooler." I suggested and she immediately stood up and followed me.

We went into the nearest shop stationed nearest our own work place. It was an antique shop, one with an employee Nolva was quite friends with. She went in to catch up with her while I stood outside under a borrowed umbrella, looking for any trace of Carrie. I took a few glances left and right, then looked back at Nolva, who was happily chatting away with her friend in blond.

I still have no idea how I should give this letter to her. Even though I really _really_ want her to know, I still can't find the appropriate actions to do. It's like a puzzle that keeps changing it's answer while you're thinking.

She came out of the shop wearing a big smile, it was also when we spot Carrie. I instinctively grabbed her hand and went to the shop together, not uttering a single word. The silence was broken when Carrie was fumbling around with her keys. She never fumbles with her keys. "Oh, good morning you two..." she mumbled in a pretty panicked tone.

Nolva tugged at my robes, looking at me with a subtle worried expression. Looking back at Carrie, it was quite clear that something was wrong. Though my curiosity instinctively told me to ask her right now, I just had to respect Carrie's level of secrecy. And besides, there were only a few significant times where she did share her experiences albeit they weren't really good stories to begin with. Still, we had her full faith as employees but not quite as friends yet.

"Hey, boss. Is there, uh, something wrong?" she immediately headed for the stairs before replying, "I'll tell you soon, I just got to deal with this first...". She slammed her office door as soon as she reached upstairs, rummaging loudly through her papers in her office.

This isn't really a good time to be giving a letter to her. Now that she had given us reassurance of the truth, we were now on the edge of our seats. What was going to happen was totally beyond us and we were worried that what Carrie is dealing with may eventually be the reason we'll lose our jobs. Well, that's just me over thinking anyway. Well who can blame me? I am about to change my life with this letter addressed to the girl I like.

As for the contents of said letter, I am quite confident in what I wrote. Though I refuse to go over it again. Somehow, when I read it, I am, what they would arguably call, disgusted with myself. I do not know why I should feel that way when I already said that I was really confident that she would answer me to the best of her ability. One year, for me, is already long. But, the thing is, maybe it's because of this reason that I may fail, she is usually absent from our one whole year of friendship.

I can understand that distance can prove too much of a strain to a relationship. And I may not be able to see her everyday of the next years will be together. However, I know and fully understand that doubt can throw a man off of his game. And at this point in my life, where the bondage of a house is no longer holding me back and each decision I make may lead to life or death, I need to think for myself. Once I do that, I can finally think for and about others.

This is the path I am willing to take.

It's a few minutes in and I am now confident that this is the time I will be giving the letter to her. She seems to be transitioning into a good mood and she isn't so tense when I walk near her. However, an awfully pleasant surprise lurched it's way into this time of the year.

Two familiar faces managed to come back. And what a time they decided to come back. "Roxas?" Kittyeyes pointed at me with a look of utter disbelief and, at the same time, pure joy as I took a step outside the counter. "Hey, Roxas!" Roger's voice bellowed in the flower shop as Kittyeyes lunged towards me for a hug. As much for rogues on the run, Kittyeyes does retain that sweet scent of hers. We broke off the hug.

"What are you guys doing here?" "Kittyeyes said we needed flowers. For whatever reason, I do not know..." Roger answered me, subtly rubbing the back of his head. "You work here Roxas?" Kittyeyes asked me, focusing all her attention to the Dawnchasers on display nearby. I actually hesitated in answering. I came a long way from fighting Briggs a year ago. I did save their lives and dragged Roger into a wild goose chase. It was losing the adventurous spirit that made me quite nervous.

But regardless of history, this present is what makes me happy at the moment. And I'd be damned if more than one person would find out about the life I am content with. "Well, yeah. Ever since I came back from Totemtaff, I've been working here for a whole year and a few months now." "Well at least you look better than you were all those months ago." Roger slid in a snide comment, followed by his own amused chuckle. I can't help but get out my own retort, "Same goes to you, old friend." as I heard Kittyeyes snicker at the far corner of the shop.

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In the end, they bought some Roses and some really healthy Sunflowers. Some might say that the Sunflowers we sell might even rival that of a Dawnchaser's glow. It's a fun little thought, but one that isn't entirely true nor possible. A bouquet of Sunflowers pale in comparison to one tiny Dawnchaser. They bid me farewell, but I feel like this meeting was over too quick.

There was so many things that I needed them to know. But, I cannot really prioritize my social life with my work. As with many things in our lives, there are things that are important than the rest. And even though this is really basic, it is essential to see the difference of values in our day to day things. Some might even say that family is most important and should be attended to at all times.

Well, what am I supposed to do?

I think now is truly the most opportune time for me to me to hand over my letter to her. The world has delayed me far too long. I took a deep breath, calmed myself for a little, then tried to not stumble on my way to her. "Hey, Nolva..." I muttered quietly, I even doubt that she didn't hear me. "Oh, hey Roxas. Is there something wrong?" "N-no... not exactly. I just wanted to-"

"OH MY GOODNESS! YOU TWOOOO!"

Carrie's voice was clear enough that she didn't even need to come down. Although, she did anyway. "You two, we have to go to the sq-"

And immediately, another person came into the flower shop. But it wasn't really a customer to begin with. It was a fully armored Sunshine Infantry scout. "All citizens are required to gather in Corona Town Square as ordered from Regent Theodore". Carrie fell silent at this order. "Y-yes, we'll be there soon..." Carrie said with a shaking hand, dismissing the soldier from the shop. "Roxas..." she turned to me. "I need you to destroy all traces of the Dawnchaser flowers after the royal announcement. Run to your home, me and Carpenter will be destroying the Dawnchasers here..."

I was at an absolute loss for words about what I just heard. It took me a while before I completely understood what she said, and even then I am still lost. Some things did not add up, and this was a prime example of it. I did not know what to do, but I had this aching feeling that the truth will be out in the open soon. Though, it _did_ fill me with dread. "Right now, we attend the royal announcement..." she said as she headed for the door.

It almost slipped my mind that I am going to give her this letter of mine. Looking at her, the thought vanished from her head as well. Looks like I have to wait, then.

"Carpenter, just lightly close the shop with a lock or two. We are still going back after this."

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We arrived at the square a few minutes after the Sunshine Infantry solider told us to do so. It was already quite crowded. If Nolva would take a few steps forward, we would be lost in a sea of heads. Instinctively, I pulled on the hood of my robe. I did not know why, but I did. I also inhabited this ancient feeling of longing for something. All the same, I do not know why. Nolva held my left arm as we walked toward Carrie, careful not to bump around into people as much. That, at least, calmed my senses for the time being.

We settled in the far left, facing the town's entertainment stage. Several minutes later, Dylan Levon clambered on top of the stage and went behind a wooden podium that held the symbol of the Kingdom of the Sun, a large parchment of paper held tightly in his hand. Rolling the paper out and clearing his throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the square, he spoke, "As you all, the residents of Corona Village, may know that the Carlos family will welcome the newest addition to the ranks of the noble in the Kingdom of the Sun. As with this, they shall be honored and therefore, be the first recipients of the Dawnchaser seed in twenty years. However, a problem has risen. The royal box of Dawnchaser seeds were stolen. The mystery on how it was stolen is still being investigated by us. In line with this, I would like to inform each and everyone of you to give us any information regarding the perpetrators in this heinous act. Some of you may or may not know, that this particular box of Dawnchaser seeds is the only one in the continent of Vendacti and is highly valued. That is all, may all of you be blessed by the Sun!"

And with that, fear ran through my body as my robe consequently turned a deep shade of black. Carrie tugged at my robes then nodded. I took this chance to disappear and go home. I knew what I had to do.

I ran through the dispersing crowd as fast as I could do undetected. I kept the hood of my robe down at all costs. Whether I'd be bumping into Roger, it didn't really matter. Only now did I realize the danger I put the flower shop in. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

The more it made sense, however, the more fear it induced.

How long did it take for the Kingdom to know that their most valued possession was stolen and was being planted for low prices? How long did this charade last before getting to the higher authorities? Do they know who I am? Are they coming for me?

Only one way to find out.

There were still a few more Dawnchasers on the land I used to plant them. Destroying them would be quite simple, really. I took a rusted sickle from the inventory I failed to sort out and started cutting the flowers from their stems. Starting a fire, I threw all the stems into the inferno. All that was left was the seeds. I sighed in frustration, I had to forcibly remove the clean wooden planks that I worked so hard to polish on and dig out the Dawnchaser seed box.

It was slightly covered in mud, now. Last time I saw it, it shined liked the brilliance of the flowers it contained. But, I was conflicted. How do I return this seed box to where it belonged without being accused for theft? The damage was already done, as I saw the contents of the box. It was diminished to a measly countable number of thirteen seeds.

But, as much luck the number thirteen would give me, the answer was already at my doorstep.

The same blue haired man that I helped all those months ago, draped in a very exotic robe, covered in mud. It wasn't the same one he wore when he was, I believed, a messenger for their leader or something. Now, he looked like he was on the run. "Why... Did time already catch up, Roxas?"

"Marcus? What? I don't... what are you talking about?" "Well, I decided to drop by after the announcement..." "Wait... you were there? How come?" "Were? HA! _Were?_ I AM everywhere!" he bursted out into a maniacal laugh. I wanted the truth, as with the my own dry tongue tasting the humid air. Besides, he wasn't like this at all. More importantly, what happened to him? "Why are you here? I thought you'd be helping your professor or something..."

"Ah, yes. But I wanted to have some fun, you see... Professor Clovis was all business, he said I was _worthless_ for not bringing you back! And I think that's where _I_ went wrong..." I gave him a stern look. He was getting to the truth, I just had to be patient enough to hold back my own tongue. "That thing you're holding. It was like snatching a wolf from it's den. Difficult indeed..." Marcus pointed at the box with absolute disgust. "Then I regretted taking it, of course... They had magic that could track me down. I had to improvise..." he chuckled like a madman before continuing. "I gave it to your father... Hehehe, he was a smart man, too, your father was. He had a sense of grandeur, too..."

And all of this because a man, who was clearly old enough to live by himself, was called worthless? I didn't really believe it. Not one bit. However, that is the cruelty of the truth. Everything else was impossible and none of them provided a clear explanation. But, as of the moment, that didn't matter. I had only one thing left to do. If doing the right thing would be to giving back the box to the Kingdom, then this is the only way I could do it without my head being mounted on a wall.

I placed down the box on my table and grabbed for my sword. Like a child being reunited with it's mother, the warmth of belonging echoed from the blade to my arm. This is what I was missing. I knew I couldn't stay away. I knew I couldn't keep my promise. But this is how it should be. How it has to be.

I may never look at Nolva the same way ever again.

Darkness lingered from my arm to the blade. I could feel it's power growing. But, at the same time, the same pain that once haunted my body returned. And it's relapse was no ordinary joke. It seared, but I could bear it. It felt like a hundred knives pierce into my arm, but all the same I could tolerate it. And worse, I could accept it. I drew the blade towards Marcus, my so called "friend" who put me into a situation I did not ask for.

I know it now. If it wasn't for him, my father could've been alive right now. But, at the same time, I was thankful. My father needed mercy. And he did give it to him. We gave it to him. And now, I'm going to repay that favor. "Ehhh? What are you going to do, Roxas?" he taunted me along with a laugh like he did all those minutes ago.

"I'm going to take you to prison..."

Instantly, magic swirled from his item and blasted it's energy forward. I dodged left, it's beam nowhere near my body. He has blasted my house to bits. I swung forward, the energies my blade emitted doubled it's speed. The blade was as light as a feather, and each strike was deadly. I could feel it. My blood was feeding it's power, and it was hungering for life. I swing again, cutting his finger. Marcus hissed in pain, but my blade was doing it's job. The blood that was dripping from Marcus was going to the blade. Soon enough, it felt full as energy surged through me. Marcus jumped back and shot fire from his artifact. The flames seared the ground and reignited the flame that feasted on the Dawnchasers before. Now, my house, too, was on fire. I needed to end this quickly, or else everything that I had every worked for will be gone for good.

I charged toward him, dodging everything he could ever muster. I slashed at his legs and caught his right shin. Blood oozed from the wound as Marcus fell to his knees. Writhing in pain, I took the artifact for myself and smashed it on a nearby Rune stone. The soul energy that was imbued in that item was absorbed by the stone that destroyed it. Now, it glowed a bright blue hue.

I looked at Marcus. He was holding his wound a little too tight as he whimpered like a lost child. I went back to the charred mess I called my house and took a bundle of rope and tied him up. I didn't need to do his whole body, only his hands. He is my ticket to salvation. I decided to at least treat the wound I dealt him.

I am not sure if what I was thinking was possible, but it was worth a shot. Freedom comes to those who don't seek it. And that was a dead ringer for me. I held my blade to his wound as his pleas for mercy ringed in my ears. I felt the blood that I stole from him slowly latch on to his skin. I felt weaker, too. Then, pain was searing through my arm as I saw the wound was healing. Then, it came to a halt. Marcus' tears began to stop, too.

The situation was beginning to turn somewhat tolerable.

I went back into the ashen ruins and took the box from the table that was miraculously untouched. I wiped the ash off of the box. It now looked as decent as when it was stolen. "I guess I am done for, huh?" I heard Marcus yell from behind me. I turned to him, face bearing no emotion, and nodded. I took the rope and dragged him along to Corona.

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"Wait, so what you're telling me, is that this bound man is the thief?" "It is what it is... He confessed to me an hour earlier..." It was a hassle getting to talk to him like this, but it was going to be worth it.

Nolva and Carrie, after this, would be free of charges. Hopefully. All I cared about today was bringing this man who I once called my friend to justice. His motives didn't make much sense. Colonel Levon thought so, too. But, I just hoped that they would believe me. I didn't get my house burned down for nothing.

"Well, looking at you now, it seems you are telling the truth." Colonel Levon said with an aura of finality. His soldiers immediately turned to him, telling him to discredit what I have said. "But, there is the box of Dawnchaser seeds right there. And this..." he opened the box, showing the contents to his soldiers. "... is the real deal, men. I am sure he used some of the seeds, I presume?" I couldn't answer but nodded instead. I was guilty of using those. That was something I didn't want to admit for real. "Thank you for your cooperation, what was your name again?" "Roxas..." "Thank you so much Roxas, Regent Theodore would be pleased. May the Sun Bless you." Colonel Levon patted my shoulder as they took Marcus and the box away.

I don't know why I feel this way, but somehow this act of doing good feels good. I unironically enjoyed this one act. But, I am certain that this is the mark of being human. They say good and evil are embodied in everyone. Not one is purer than the other and that balance is always maintained. If this is the true essence of humanity, then my mind would be sane for the years to come.

But, just as I thought things were going to be fine as Colonel Levon is walking away with Marcus, Marcus yelled, "ACELIN!". Roger turned to the sound of his name, and sprinted as fast as he could, Koll and Kittyeyes following him. Marcus then broke free of the soldier's grip and ran for his life. A soldier ran after him whilst Colonel Levon ran towards Roger's direction. I ran after him, for I too feared for Roger's life.

For some damned forsaken reason, I felt I am to blame for this unfortunate timing. All I had to do was bail Roger out of this one, just like with Briggs. But the question dawned before me as my ran slowed into a walk, how was I going to do that after doing a valued service to the Kingdom?

I followed the Colonel and some soldiers, holding my sword as tightly as I could in my right hand. It throbbed the nostalgic pain I didn't miss.

They had them cornered, all three of them. Roger and Kittyeyes' backs were toward each other, and Koll was growling like he never growled before. The soldiers closed in, but I couldn't help them. I didn't know what to do. Then heat crawled up my skin.

A bright red flame erupted from where Roger and Kittyeyes stood. There stood Koll, burning immensely as the shoulders lay on their backs. Scared and confused, all of us took a step back to witness what Koll had become. "A Glimmer Wolf!? I thought those things were extinct!" I heard a nearby soldier said. A Glimmer Wolf, huh? Well that explains the heat he always has on him. Though, the next moment caught all of us off guard, as Koll charged through the soldiers like a fireball. Each of them fell as Koll ravaged each one and the other.

I wanted to go help the unconscious Roger and Kittyeyes, as Colonel Levon was nowhere to be seen. Soon enough, I was face to face with Koll. And he did not recognize me. "Koll! It's me, Roxas!" I tried to get him to remember. But, as with all animals, all they cared about was the prey before them. The pain from my arm was on tune with the heat from Koll. I steeled myself as best I could, for I knew what was to come.

I jumped as far as I could from Koll. As expected, he lunges towards me in a flaming state. I leaped to the right, the flames barely touching my robes. Twisting my body counterclockwise, I jumped at Koll as his flames were dying down, landing a clean slice to his left hind leg. I immediately rolled out of the way, as his bite almost found it's way onto my robe. I raised my sword to strike once more, but Koll merely whimpered as he ran away. As disappointing as it was, I was relieved it was over as soon as it started. That was very dangerous, even for me.

I turned to the masters it ran away from. They were both regaining consciousness. I ran over to help them, but decided against it as soon as I saw Colonel Levon running towards me. I ran towards the other direction, I ran towards Koll.

The heat still lingered. Then I realized what was happening all around me.

Corona was on fire. It wasn't just the town square that was burning, every single building and structure were being turned to ash, and there was nothing I could do.

All I could do was run around, panic, and silently watch as the flames ate at the world I once accepted as my new home.


	16. Chapter 16:The Right Thing to Do

I see the ashes of a fallen era glisten with the cinders of it's own mortal folly...

There I was. In the middle of a burning Corona Village. Everyone was running for their lives. The nearest river was miles away, as far as anyone knew. There was nothing anyone could've done to stop this inferno. It was, as they say, a fool's errand to attempt it.

And how a fool I was...

I did not dare turn back. I couldn't. What I had done, it could not be forgiven. I am forced to think that I had wasted my opportunity for a future I may be able to take. My act, "noble deed", was thrown out the window the moment I decided to tuck tail and run.

But that's all up to speculation. I did not hear the colonel scream my name. He would've recognized me and told me to apprehend my friends. But I was too much of a coward to face him.

I do wonder, however, if what I had done was for the best? Or, did it have the world's best interests in mind? Though as much as I would like to process that, there is so much going on around me that it feels rather dull to think about.

The screams are getting louder each moment, each sounding more gruesome than the last. The fires were getting hotter and the flames were, if I were to describe it, racing towards the blaze of the Sun.

My skin was getting irritated as my vision blurred. I needed to move. And fast. If I don't, I'll be one of the many bodies they won't be able to have a gravestone to give. And, to be completely frank, the thought was not a comforting one.

Lumbering through the smoke, I tried to grasp for air that was clearly out of reach. How long until I could hold on was a question circling through my mind. Despite that, I still pressed on. I closed my eyes and hoped for the best. I cleared through the rubble I could not see, cut myself against the metal I did not expect, and breathed in the smoke that tortured my body as I could barely hold myself together.

For what felt like eternity, I marched on through the unseen. And then I took a deep breath. My lungs took in the refreshing summer air as my vision returned. I could clearly hear the birds were chirping in the distance as I rubbed my eyes in relief. I was at the crossroads leading toward Totemtaff Ridge. An odd nostalgic wave forced it's way unto my remaining functioning senses as I turned around. The sight I remembered when I retrieved that pendant my father so longed for was now just a pyre for a disaster no one foresaw.

The fires that engulfed the village were now as tall as that giant skull father told me about. Yes, it was quite big. I was relieved to be outside the blazing inferno, but for some reason, I had a feeling that I needed to go back. An echo that reached deep in my heart, one I could not explain.

I almost completely forgot about Nolva.

Energy surged through me as the thought of her enveloped my mind. I circled the flames as I ran toward the other entrance to the Village, one that was closer to the flower shop. The screams of countless people were now being muffled by fallen debris, and a faint sound of flesh being torn was nearly audible within the raging fire. My mind only thought of the worst as I steeled myself to enter the village again.

Though the pilfering flames robbed me of my only way to breathe, the paradise that was the outside was no longer within my reach. Once again, I found myself with no real way of navigating this inferno. Although the feelings that were pushing me onward were the only things keeping me from blacking out, I still couldn't help but wonder the desperation of the current situation.

Perhaps I am being foolish enough to care. And at what cost does these feelings have? Am I going to pay the price for such absurd ideals that I wasn't able to uphold?

Maybe, maybe not...

However, I soon found the familiar street I saw everyday. I immediately went over to the flower shop. Fortunately, both Carrie and Nolva seemed to have escaped. But on the other hand, the place itself was in shambles. The sign, the display, everything was reduced to ashes.

I looked around me. There was no other people. The rumbling of armor echoed in the distance as the smoke loomed above my head.

Maybe I was truly stupid to go back. I was worried so much that I forgot to think straight. Maybe that was all it took for me. What a pitiful way to die, I say.

Well, if I am going to die, I might as well look around.

I went wherever my feet took me. Though all I could see was smouldering debris, stuttering fire, and wistful ashes dancing about. The fires seem to die down, though my spirits were going down with it.

Along with the sound of echoing metal, came the sound of my feet kissing the ground. Though I do not enjoy this very sensation.

Then I hear cries somewhere. They were near. If whoever broke down in desperation, I might as well accompany them. After all, dying alone is never good for the soul. The last thing you want to be is a revenant thirsty for a revenge it'll never get.

And what I found beyond the city wall was a familiar sight. The striking blue haired young man stood there, bawling his eyes out where I could not see them. My footstep crunched a burnt twig as I moved forward, his reddish eyes met mine in a flash.

"Not running away, Marcus?" my voice was clustered with the crackling of the fire. He gave me a vulnerable look, one I haven't seen in his eyes. Usually it would be full of ambition. Though my time spent with him was quite short, it was clear that he was yearning for something.

And now, after what he said, after what he had essentially done to my family, I think I know why.

Those lifeless eyes simply beg for the sweet release of death. As much as I began to loathe the man before me, my heart couldn't simply do it. A part of me was guilty of something. Though, whatever that was, it was still in the dark. But as I stared silently at Marcus did I realize what I felt.

I think this is what mother would call, "Pity". Yes, I think that's what it was.

But even I doubt myself sometimes. Why would I feel pity for the man who took away the only family I had? Why would I feel pity for the person who convinced a man to turn on his own beloved son? Maybe I am a bit too kind on father's memories.

"Why did you do it...?" I spoke out of the blue. It may be true that I got his confession first hand, but I demanded the truth. A part of me also didn't believe his words as true. "But as ridiculous as it may sound, the truth is ever so unbelievable..." I remember mother whisper that to me in her sleep before she died. The only response I got was his silence and a faint crackling of fire. He turned to look me in the eye once more, but no words came from him. Marcus only stared at me without a clear conscience, without conviction. "Why go all this trouble just for..." my voice got cut off.

It was now that the thought of his ambition ran through my head. I did not know what he wanted, and at this point, nor do I even care. But, at least, I wanted to know the reason why. "I already said it, didn't I?" he said as he finally faced me. His eyes burned with hatred. "I was worth dirt... I worked so hard to get him to trust me, I admired his works, and _this_ is what I get? He's right. Undoubtedly and irrevocably so..."

Professor Clovis, was it?

He wanted something to do with me. Was it because of my curse? I am pretty sure people would get slightly curious on what I am capable of doing. It is nature, of course, I don't deny that. But, am I really something that should be fought over?

"What exactly happened, Marcus?" He flinched right as he heard my question. He trembled as he pierced my gaze with cold, hard fury. "He wanted to use you..." Hold on a moment, use me? "When you met on the outskirts on the prairie, he wanted a sample of your blood, see?" He pointed at my right arm. Clenching my fist, I could definitely feel the aching pain, now. "For what...?" "I'm just as curious as you." "I'm guessing he failed, huh?" "Obviously..." he snapped. "So what's his failure got to do with you...?"

"About that..." his voice was reduced to mere whimper as he said it. "I was testing out a rune scroll from his lab and found myself within some secret chamber in the Sun Kingdom's Palace." This sounds way too ridiculous, even for me. But either way, it's magic. That's what the Rune Academy is for, right? To understand what we simple folk do not. "I messed around, panicked and found myself with that accursed seed box when I came back." He spat at the ground. "Clovis immediately threw me out, calling me 'worthless' and a 'waste of time'. I did not know why the box made him that way, but I found my answer anyway..." He threw me a small card from his pocket as I caught it with my right hand.

On the card, it read, _"The Royal Dawnchaser Seed Box. Treat with care"_

"I needed a way to dispose of it. I gave it to a man as I was panicking in Corona, searching for some sort of abstract solution. He happily took it off my hands. Only a few days after did I realize that I gave the seed box to your father..."

And so, everything else became clear. So everything was a farce, huh? It's funny, really. I have searched for the truth only to find out I've been living a lie. There really was no point in giving those people those bouquets of Dawnchasers.

For once, I thought I was doing good. I guess it is too late now. I have done the right thing. Have this man before me arrested and returned the seed box to it's rightful place.

Now, what to do?

"All this, all from a simple mistake...?" I raised both my arms, showing him the death and destruction from our actions. I doubt he feels any remorse from it, but rather regret. Well, I'll be surprised if he feels anything after this.

I know now. He didn't mean it. He's just as naive as me. But what good does that do as we stand on the ashes of a village we shared a few memories with?

"I guess this is where we part, eh Roxas?" I said with a forced smile. I know I shouldn't be doing this, but standing here now, what choice do I have? I slowly drew my sword and took a deep, remorseful breath. Despite being in the center of seemingly endless flames, I did not taste the vile smoke that came from the pointlessness of destruction. I simply murmured, "I'm sorry..." as I launched myself to him.

I'm sorry to hear what you have to go through, Marcus. My mind tells me to bring justice to a culprit, but my hands hesitate to even do a clean swipe.

Now I regret healing him. I can barely manage a scratch as he desperately tries to flee from me, dodging my sword swipes as best as he possibly could. I pressed on my attack and landed a clean cut on his left shin. As he stumbles to aid his left leg, smoke was blown away as I heard a cry...

"There he is! Capture the culprit!" Colonel Levon bellowed to his men as he pointed to Marcus. In a flash, Marcus tried to run. But in that very moment, the pain from the leg injury was too much as he groaned and tumbled toward a low burning pyre.

A few soldiers went and apprehended him. I withdrew my sword and before I even know it, Colonel Levon put a hand on my shoulder. "Good work, Roxas!" he commended me as he put up a thumbs up. Even though I know I'll be praised for this, half of it didn't feel exactly right.

I looked around me. The village fire was in it's final stages. The flames that were insatiable were now struggling to eat away at whatever it could touch. It was finally over. It seems that I get to live another day. "All right men, take him away! We'll report this to His Majesty as soon as we get back."

And with that, the platoon was heading out to the Sun Capitol. We were left to our own. At least, for now.

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I walked toward the exit of the village. Or rather, what was left of it, or any part of the village for that matter. Everywhere you look, you'd only see faces deep in despair and tears, ruins of buildings who were prosperous only hours ago, and right here, right in front of me, a dream of a life without bloodshed crushed between the fingers of absolute fate.

Then there's a life wasted away in chains behind bars. As much as I want to forgive him for his foolishness, the damage was already done. There was no longer room for fixing what was already broken, and that passed before I realized it was even broken to begin with.

I never thought that I would be able to brandish this sword again. But, thinking about it now, it seems that fate would want me to struggle. Whether it be metaphorically or literally. I eyes lit up as I saw a single tear fall from her pretty face. Tightening my grip on the sword, I know there would be no escape.

I failed.

"Roxas..." Nolva couldn't contain her voice. "I thought you'd...!" tears continued to fall as she slowly inched toward me. I merely answered, "Yeah...". I know I couldn't explain myself out of this. I simply could not. "I'm sorry..." "Enough, Roxas..." I looked up. She regained her composure and continued, "I knew what you've done. People... told me about it." I wanted to say something, anything, but my mind and my mouth wouldn't cooperate in the slightest. "But... Roxas... You promised me... Me!" "I know... I'm sorry."

And before I knew it, it'll be the last time we ever see each other again.

"I'll see you, Roxas..." I nodded. I did not even bother if she caught my half-assed response or not. I knew that this would happen the moment I picked up the sword a few hours ago. I watched her slowly walk away, fading from my sight, away from my life.

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I woke up the next day, groggy from yesterday's turn of events. I searched my robe and found my letter to Nolva missing. Though I am a bit sad, it was already too late.

Everyone in Corona didn't have a place to stay last night, for obvious reasons. Some reluctantly went to Sun Capitol and temporarily live there, and some started rebuilding the village entirely. Of course, I couldn't sit around and watch them do it themselves. Partly because I, along with my father, built some of the houses in Corona. I did what I thought was right, and that was important. Besides, after what happened yesterday, I don't really have a place to go.

There were no signs of Roger and Kittyeyes after the fire died out. Koll went missing, unfortunately. I did not catch Nolva or Carrie as I was helping the other villagers. And as of now, my life is at a stand still.

I stood up, got whatever meat I have in stock and cooked it. I wasn't in the mood to do anything fancy. As I was finishing up the meat, I saw a parchment on the table. My memory is hazy from yesterday, but I was sure that piece of parchment was not mine.

I put out the fire, placed down my cooked meat, and took the parchment. It was a letter addressed to me. There was only a handful of people who knew where I lived, and only two of those I talk to on a nearly daily basis.

On the damp paper, it read:

 _Dearest Roxas,_

 _I'm sure you already know why I left. I'm sorry, truly, really I am, but I couldn't stay knowing you betrayed me. I know it was for the best that you picked up that blade, and I figured that this is for the best for me, for us, too. I packed whatever was left of my valuables in my house and by the time you read this, I am already heading to Atlas. I know you'd try and look for me, but please, don't. It pains me to leave, but I have no where else to go._

 _I'm sure if fate would allow it, we'd meet again. And once we do, maybe, our lives have changed for the better. You gave me memories worth keeping, and I love you for that. I may never know what you were going to tell me, but I am sure you'd say "I love you" too. You and I both have the deepest regrets. Maybe I acted selfishly, but I did what I felt was right. I am certain that when you picked up the sword, you felt the same way I did. I would never forget you, Roxas. Please be well, even if we don't see each other again._

 _With deepest love and regret,_

 _Nolva Carpenter_

 _P.S Waverlyde sends his regards_

Huh. My heart ached when I read this letter. There was no doubt about it. I am happy that she, too, felt the same way. I thought that it would be fine to be with her. However, fate wouldn't allow it.

"I did what I felt was right..." we both did. We did what the world demanded of us. But really, at what cost...?


	17. Chapter 17: Progress

Another day has passed, huh?

It has been at least three weeks since the fire that had devastated Corona. Everyone was doing everything they could to rebuild it. I am one of the same. And today, it was going to be an ordinary day of rebuilding Corona from the ground up.

At first, the fire only seemed to have affected the buildings. However, it was no surprise that it also affected the supplies people had. The Kingdom of the Sun has aided in the relief operation on Corona and has offered extra help in reconstruction. In which case, everyone in Corona was happy o accept.

As for me, I had to ration all of my food to last until the next two months or so. Travelling to Poleva Desert to resupply was out of the question. It was exhausting to travel to Totemtaff, and I sure am not planning to go to Poleva anytime sooner. Going to the Sun Capitol would also be a waste of curren for me. The higher economic status meant that prices would be higher than that in Corona. And I already have a lot of things to manage as of the moment. I'm not willing to have money be one of them.

Right now, a smoked chunk of meat was all I had for breakfast. It's not much, but at least I ain't dead yet. Using my robe in this time of year has proven to be quite agitating than helpful, too. Because of the restoration project that is currently underway for Corona, coupled with the hourly travel to get there, exhaustion would usually get up to me by the time I arrive and actually start helping.

And this time, I don't plan on being a burden on society. With Nolva's absence, which I was severely upset about, I am currently alone. Roger and Kittyeyes would show up every now and then or so to check on the restoration, help with supplies and catch up on whatever is happening to me. From what Kittyeyes told me, she and Roger are planning to head to the outskirts of Paradise Prairie, almost completely isolating themselves. Well, not entirely. The loss of Koll had an impact on them as well. Aside from that small incident that sent both me, Roger and Koll on a panic, I was simply saddened at best to have Koll leave.

At this point in time, I accepted the fact that Nolva left for good. She said it herself, if fate would allow it, we would meet. But I know so well from experience that fate wouldn't allow a simple request such as that. And I sincerely hope for her safety and life, whatever she may be doing and wherever she may be.

At least she left behind something for me to learn from. After all, maybe I was too focused on her that I wasn't able to act properly. The blade welcomed me more than any hospitable home in Vendacti could.

Though I couldn't avoid the blade's call, the same can be said about my curse. Ever since my encounter with Marcus, I have been experiencing the mind numbing pain I have definitely not missed all my life. Except this time, it is a tiny bit worse. The fractures of my past are now here to haunt me. Crystalized darkness has begun to cut through my skin, mostly on my right arm. It is indeed painful.

And I fear that the fate of those who have the Von Zayne blood course through their veins is upon me. I am not excited about this. No one should be excited about this. For now, I need to keep myself in check.

I must not panic. I must not give in. I must overcome. I must not be cowardly.

I won't be a failure.

I put on my sleeveless shirt and loose leather shorts and head out for Corona. It may be true that the symptoms for the curse are wide in the open, but what choice do I have? Either way, I am still going to be suffering.

I remember the first time father went on a pseudo rampage in Corona. He was a strong man, but his will was questionable. The villagers were frightened, mother was frightened, we all were. However, mother stood her ground after purging the curse from father that time. She was proud of her husband's strength. She was not afraid to be driven away from the village.

I did not understand what she had done that time, but I knew for a fact that we weren't sent away. We weren't shunned. Instead, we were supported. We were promised the best hospitality.

I didn't really get it that time. Those were years ago. And now, I am praying for the fact that they kept their promise until now. Until only their son remained.

I do not know if people would remember their promises they have kept for so many years. If the people they talk to actually matter, if they truly care about the people in their lives. Even after my experience with Nolva, I just couldn't help but wonder.

But, despite all the doubts, there's only one way to find out. And that at this point in my life, I just couldn't stagnate anymore. I have to focus on living. Whether to survive or to make the most out of everything, or even the bits in between, I have to live.

But as soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by a familiar face.

"Carrie...?" I'll be honest, for all the people I expected to visit, the last one I'd be expecting is my boss. But now, it's officially former boss. Frankly I did not manage to tell her that I quit, but due to the flower shop burning down, I felt I had the necessity to call myself an ex employee. "Good morning, Roxas. I am here to talk about a few things. If you mind sparing me a bit of your time, at least..." Carrie said. She was mellow, not really carrying that aggressive attitude with her today. More so, she seems calmer than usual. "Oh, sure. Come in, come in..." I closed the door behind her as she took the only seat in my house. "So, how is Nolva? Where is she anyway?" "Nolva took off to Atlas as soon as she could." Carrie looked shocked as he heard my reply. "Atlas? Why would she go there?" "I'm just as curious as you..." I muttered, scratching the back of my neck.

Her letter was all too sudden. I'm sure Nolva had good reasons to go to Atlas. And if I'm completely honest, I'm not worried about her safety. Knowing Waverlyde, she's in good hands. "I just can't believe she would leave without telling me..." I kept silent as Carrie mumbled to herself a bit more. "And about your job, Roxas? Will you be staying?" And I was hoping she wouldn't ask this, but it appears I have no choice but to speak my mind. "Ma'am, I am running low on food around here and I have resorted to rationing. I'm sorry, but I will be quitting my job."

To my surprise, she didn't immediately clobber me. I expected she would attack me, or something, but I guess she was also expecting this from me. After all, everyone in Corona was focusing all their efforts in restoring the village that running a flower shop at this time wouldn't exactly be the smartest decision. "Well, it seems that this is where our contract ends." Carrie said as she took out a piece of paper and tore into shreds. "I best be going now, Roxas. And oh, thank you so much for your service. Good day!"

And like that, we never saw each other again.

I would've asked her where she was going, but at this point, it really is useless to ask. It's not like I'll be following her. Perhaps I would've asked her out of concern or just plain old curiosity. Either way, the information I would've gained would be rendered useless at the end of the day.

With the last contact of my old work gone, I went up to Corona and continued providing assistance.

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"And with that... We are through! Oh, thank God! That's it, Roxas!" David called me off as I nailed in the final nail. This week, we've managed to build at least three houses.

For a team of only six people, we did a pretty good job. Albeit, the plumbing and all that stuff is missing from the small houses we managed to construct. And to top it all off, people were actually happy of our work.

I sat down with the rest of my team along the quilt that has been spread on a field of green grass. We were having a pseudo picnic as Armin brought us some snacks. "I'm beat... Good work today, everyone!" David commented as he looked back on the finished house. For a leader, he is twice as proud of our work as we are of him. I did the same as I took a bite out of Armin's ground meat sandwich. I'll be honest, if you've been rationing for a while, every food that goes through your mouth will eventually taste heavenly.

"Where are the others?" Armin asked us as he pulled out a canteen. "Gone home... After all, they were pretty damn exhausted." I replied as I took another bite, savoring the flavors. Or rather the only flavor that kept my tongue occupied as I ate. "True. You did push them a little, David..." Armin muttered as he, too, began to eat. "Hmm, can you really blame me? We are almost done with the house, too. I just wanted it finished." I remember how Jacob, Carl, and Joshua were all moping about at noon as they were all carrying the last five logs for the roof. They left as soon as they could. Preparing for whatever personal vice the three of them came up with today. They may seem unreasonable and unreliable, but they get the job done if they feel like it.

And fortunately, we got their moods right today. "I do wonder where they run off to every day, it's not like they have somewhere important to be..." "Don't doubt our colleagues, Armin. Besides, we still got the house done. That's all that matters, right?" I simply nodded at what David said in silence as I took the last bite from my sandwich.

"Well..." Armin stood up and packed up the food in his basket. "Since those three idiots are not going to eat the sandwiches I prepared, I'm going to take these home now." My stomach rumbled as I heard those words. Without hesitation, my right hand lunged toward his basket. "Armin! Can I have those instead? Please?" it doesn't feel good to beg. But right now, what else can I do? "Oh, right. You don't have food at home, do you Roxas? Here..." he gladly handed me the basket. I took a quick peek inside and found that there were several sandwiches. More than enough for the six of us. "Just give it back to me as soon as you can, alright?" Armin waved with a smile and left.

"He's a good guy, that Armin." David said out of the blue. "You tell me..." I said as I took another sandwich. Before I could even dig in, pain immediately took over my senses. The pain I felt on my arm was back, and it's even worse now than all those years before.

I could feel something just aching to tear through my flesh and come out. I felt it all through my back, the left side of my face, and now both my arms. I curled up, the pain beginning to numb my senses. "Roxas!" I could hear David rush to my side. Miraculously, the pain subsided after a while. I took a minute to catch my breath. I was sweating all over. "It's getting worse everyday..." he muttered as he tried to lift me up with one arm. "Let's get you to some healers, okay?" I nodded with the strength that I had left and then we began to walk.

I felt exhausted, scared, but mostly confused. As my vision began to fade and the darkness closed in on my eyes, I heard David utter in a whisper, "What would Saint Paula do...?"

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The lamp light shone on my face as I woke up. I was still aching all over, but it wasn't as painful as it did before I blacked out. Rubbing my eyes, I took notice to my environment.

As I expected, David took me to the nearest first aid area. And even though it was weeks after the initial disaster, some are still recovering and people are continuously getting injured left and right. The Kingdom of the Sun sent some of their healers for the next two months, as that was ample enough time for any major injuries that might come.

Before I could lay back down, a couple of healers made their way toward me. I could tell they were novices, as they hesitated in performing the correct Life Magic. Even so, they were really trying their best. However, my ordeal far exceeds that of normal illnesses. They can try, but they can't cure me.

If St. Paula couldn't do it, how will they even manage?

But what's truly peculiar is how the magic these healers are doing are irritatingly familiar. It's a confusing thought. Like it's on top of your head and then in the next moment, it's gone. Magic from what appears to be bits of darkness and light coming together to mend my injuries. And even though they could only fix my physical body, the magic is effective nonetheless. One healer wrote whatever happened to me, or I'd assumed what he had observed and bid farewell as the rest of the novice team followed him. I weakly raised my right hand as an unnoticed response.

I took off the bed sheets and found my chest embedded with a reddish black crystal sitting on where my heart is supposed to be. I lightly tapped it and felt pulses of pain surge through my body, although these were a bit tolerable. My left arm was almost covered in the same material found on my chest. I tapped my arm and only felt numb through the whole process. I didn't feel any crystals on my back or my face, so that's sort of a relief.

I look around and saw that every healer was shocked to see me as they all backed off from me. I just realized no healer in this operation knew what my condition was, and I also doubt if they would ever believe what I would have to say. These healers were ready to fight, even though they show clear signs of combat inexperience.

The mark of the curse was glowing brightly. It was only a matter of time before the curse would take over my mind. Now, it's just me. I have no one to carry out the burden, and it's been years since any villager has performed a purge on my family's curse.

From what I can see it, it all falls down to me. I just have to do something. But that is the problem. I have to find a way to battle this curse. And fast.

But before chaos could ensue, someone beyond the tent bellowed, "Stop!". The voice was familiar, too. Though I couldn't help but feel slightly off at hearing that voice. It was like an undying grudge that I don't know about burst out from the depths of my soul. Then, there he was. The same aged man dressed in blue and marigold.

"Clovis..." I muttered under my breath. For the shortest times we've been in the same ground, he certainly left an impression. An impression I did not approve of. It made my stomach churn and my insides burn hotter. This was a grudge I didn't realize I had, to be honest. But just the sight of him made me want to kick his teeth in. I couldn't just forgive him easily for attacking me that one time. He said it himself, all without the trace of any emotion, that he wanted to experiment on me. I refuse to be subjected to such means, for that is the little pride I have left, the little bits that I managed to scrape from my family's name. "I suppose you do remember me..." he said without a single ounce of emotion.

That was truly the scariest part of this man. Or, calling him a man would be an overstatement. He's more like a shell driven by goals and nothing more. That alone somehow ticks me off. The only living memory I have of him is not a good one, and to think that this is the same man that made Marcus insane? I just couldn't believe I had the misfortune to cross paths with him. "I am here for negotiations." Clovis said matter-of-factly. I stood up, unintentionally showing the full extent of the curse out in the open. I eyed him carefully before feigning curiosity, "Negotiations? For what?" Clovis let out a frustrated sigh. "Meet me outside of Corona and we'll discuss it in private." he simply dismissed himself and left without hesitation.

I don't know if he wants to meet me as soon as possible. Partly because I just want to lie down here for a bit more, and even though I am quite curious, I shouldn't let my guard down. But, I suppose I'd have to give him a chance before deciding.

I looked around for the sandwich basket and found it lying just beside the bed. I took a look inside and saw that there was still plenty to last me at least two days. Then, my stomach rumbled and I took a sandwich without much hesitation.

After a quick snack on a healthier sandwich, I put my shirt back on and stood up to stretch. As I did, I felt a slight numbness on my chest and left arm, but I felt no significant pain coming from those parts of my body. A healer, I'd assume has been assigned to me, quickly went to me. "Sir, we kindly ask you lie back down." she said as she gestured to the bed, albeit in quite a panic. "No need, I'm fine." I waved as I took out a few curren from my pockets as thanks to their services.

Checking under the bed, I found my sword. I swung it around me as I felt the familiar weight settle on my body. I took another deep breath, the heaviness of my sleep was beginning to fade. Then, I made my way out of the tent.

Once outside I found myself in an eerily familiar spot. I looked around and I wasn't particularly reminded of virtually anything. Until, I regrettably, looked down on the soil that I stood on.

This was the same spot where the Facility of Cleansing once stood.

I felt a heavy weight begrudgingly settle onto the depths of my heart. My mind, once again, wandered off into space as I walked towards the village's exit. I wondered if I could've done anything to prevent St. Paula from ever dying. If ever there was some mystical solution to undo what happened one year ago. But as reality slapped me in the face with the cold hard truth, there was truly nothing that could've been done.

And I noticed that I found myself blaming my own gut for things I have no control over. Things that tend to happen, things that are far beyond my realm of action. Sure, there was no excuse for her death. I was really heartbroken when I realized it, and I still am today. However, I decided that it would be best if I don't beat myself up for an outcome I did not cause.

I still don't know if I was the one who caused it in the first place. Still, the past is past, and all I can do is proudly wear the robe she left me. Whether o not it was intended for me, the time to decide that is long gone.

If I am given the chance to uncover the truth I so long for, then I will not hesitate to take it.

Or so I thought...

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I have now left the boundaries of Corona. I look around, there were no signs of Clovis anywhere. Sitting down on the cold evening grass, I decided to wait a while. The night sky is covered with countless stars, the usual cloudless night. The soft howling of the evening breeze brushed on the tips of the blades of grass as chills ran up body. It was a refreshing feeling, for once was I able to enjoy the night's breeze after a long day of hard work.

For someone who was impatient with me (or himself) earlier, I was surprised to not find him anywhere. Especially when he said he was going to wait for my arrival.

Now that I think about it, he actually didn't specify where we're supposedly going to meet. He just simply said meet me outside of Corona.

I let out an audible sigh. Clearly I was mistaken to assume that he's going to be here when I obviously didn't know where he was supposed to be. I stood up and took the basket of sandwiches with me. But as I walked away, I could hear two people arguing. As the voices became clearer, they belonged to a man and a woman. Soon, it became clear that the man's voice was Clovis'.

I turned to where they were. They were just below the hill that I was sitting on. And here I am dumbfounded that I failed to notice them until they started spewing inaudible words. Clovis was noticeable, but his companion was someone I never seen before. She wore somewhat revealing clothing, as the she wore a leotard that revealed both her back and the full length of her thighs. She had short, ebony black hair with what I can notice as a large scar running down her face. She sported daggers as large as her hands, fastened to each of her wrists. From what I can see, she looks as if she was born to kill.

After a short while of chatter, the woman threw a grey robe on herself, pulled up the hood, and wore a mask that resembled a bird's beak, shielding most of her features including her revealing outfit. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished into the shadows. Effectively and without a trace. Clovis' attention turned to me as he gave me a cold and annoyed glare.

"I assume you heard us?" He went straight to the point. "I saw you, but I couldn't hear you." I said honestly. There was absolutely no reason for me to lie in this situation. Even if we are, after all, equally annoyed by each other's presence, lying would make no sense whatsoever. He made a grunt and proceeded to situate himself on a nearby rock, the frustration made clear on his face. I did the same as I sat on the grass.

"What's this about, Clovis?" I, too, did not hesitate to get done with our negotiations. Or whatever this shell of a man needs. "I want to experiment on yo-" "I am no cattle that you can just brand and claim for yourself, Clovis..." I said, frustrated to the point that I felt the need to cut him off. "You did not let me finish..." he growled. His eyebrows beginning to twitch as he's losing patience. "I am asking for your cooperation, Von Zayne." I just sat there and listened, unsatisfied with myself. "Carpenter said that you may have the same conditions as she has and has asked me to solve yours as I did for her." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Nolva asking Aosta Clovis for help!? "Wait, what!? Nolva went to you!?" he merely shrugged and said, "I suppose this may come as a shocker for you, but yes, Nolva Carpenter did come to me for a solution. And I did deliver. Did you even notice that she managed to control that _thing_ in her for so long?" Now that he has said it that way, it does seem a bit believable.

Nolva did manage to keep down Waverlyde for most of the times we've been together. Only when winter came did Waverlyde take over. Her control over him was progressively getting better until then.

However, even if he says does fit in with everything that has happened, I shouldn't let my guard down. Who knows what this man would do to me? If that's the case, then there's only one thing to do.

"Okay..." I said after a long pause, "I'll cooperate in your experiments. But on one condition." Clovis let out another frustrated sigh. "Fine, what is it?" I smirked a bit as he said that, though I tried to make it as subtle as possible before saying, "That you'll help me control this curse." I unwrapped the bandages that cover my hand, revealing to him the mark of the curse. His eyes widened at the sight of the mark as he regained his composure. "Very well. Come to my laboratory. Here's a map for reference." he took out a small parchment. In that parchment, it marked the entire region of Paradise Prairie, complete with roads, pathways and all the villages connecting them. The location of his laboratory was East from the tree my mother treasured, as indicated with a bright red "X". I was relieved to see that Corona is still marked on the map. Though I do think this one is outdated.

Brushing off the nonexistent dust on his blue and marigold robe, he said, "If there's nothing more, then I'll excuse myself." And then he vanished through the shadows of the moonlight, leaving me with only one choice to take.

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I took the liberty of passing by the familiar tree me and my mother shared the next day. It seemed only yesterday that we sat under it's leaves and went cloud gazing. And it seemed only yesterday did father knocked me out and abandoned me on a quest to find the pendant he foolishly lost that one fateful day.

One of these memories would ingrain themselves in my subconscious, but another is beginning to be more relevant now that I have to go to Clovis. I remember how Marcus ambushed me to get me to accompany him with his not so fruitless errand. Did I mention he abandoned me in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night? I remember that as clearly as my memory of father's silhouette in the bright moonlight as he raised the our family scythe at me.

From here, I strayed down the path and walked into the tall grass. Memories of that day flashed as me and Marcus both struggled to get through the thick patches of green. But this time, I am pretty prepared for this journey. I clutched the sword in my hand and began slashing through. Suddenly movement became easier. It was no surprise that this could happen.

Simple decisions can mean a big difference, after all. Whether good or bad, the impact can be large all the same.

I know that from experience.

I could feel hours go by as my tongue dried up from the blistering heat. I regretted not bringing a canteen for this journey. It was quite foolish to underestimate the distance of his laboratory from the tree. Luckily, I'd be able to indulge myself on the nearby river from his lab. That's what the map says anyway.

To my absolute surprise, the journey was already over a few steps later. I glanced at the map one last time and traced my path with my finger. This was definitely the place, as the accuracy of the map was legitimate. As expected of a map, of course.

The laboratory itself was made mostly out of logs, tattered clothing, and wooden planks. It would seem at first glance that this would be a big, uncovered tent of some degree. You could see bottles, flasks and the like filled with unknown substances, even from a distance. Strangely enough, the laboratory was surrounded by a mystic purple barrier. It was awfully similar to the one that surrounded St. Paula's place.

Then I saw the same hooded woman leave the lab and vanished into thin air. I wonder what business she has with Clovis. Either way, I doubt he'll give any meaningful answers. Besides, that's not what I am here for.

I approached the laboratory but I was, as expected, locked out by the barrier. I tried rough housing my way in, just like the one at St. Paula's, but it didn't budge at all. This one is the exact same wall that kept out impurities, but this one is stronger. "What's that noise!?" I heard Clovis shout from within the building and with it, came his footsteps. "Oh, it's just you..." he said, undeterred by the focus in his eyes. With a swiping motion of his left hand, the barrier was gone and I was free to walk forwards.

Inside, the lab filled with many sorts of curiosities. Books, scrolls, bottles and beakers filled with different colored liquid, and a whole bunch of unorganized rolls of parchment that are filled to the brim with scribbles. Though I must say, the scribbles themselves have good handwriting.

The lab also reeked with unknown aromas. Some smelled like a bouquet Morning Dew and Roses but as I got deeper, it began smelling like rotten eggs thrown into a stagnant creep. It is truly a peculiar experience, but I had to keep a hold of myself if I'm ever going to overcome this curse.

Clovis wasted no time in getting started as he was already rummaging a drawer at the far end of the room. I took a seat in the nearest chair that looked older than anything in this lab. It's wobbly, but I can manage. Clovis pulled out a flask. "Prick your finger and pour the blood in this flask. I only need a small amount. I don't want you making a mess on these papers." he coldly said as he handed the flask over to me. I drew my sword and carefully pricked my thumb by the tip. I took a deep breath as the pain overlapped the constant ache in my arm. Slowly but surely, I got two drops of blood and carefully gave it to Clovis.

He took out a beaker with a green solution and poured my blood into it. Soon enough, my blood broke down and expanded within the liquid, making it observable for Clovis. "Curious..." he mumbled as he took out a crimson flask and poured the blood like substance into the beaker. As soon as the substance touched the my blood, it began absorbing the liquid from the crimson flask. Then, in a matter of seconds, my blood in the beaker began to grow, almost filling the beaker to the brim with it's volume. My blood had a healthier reddish glow to it.

With a satisfied grin on his face, he turned to the cupboard at the side of the table. I decided to wrap a piece of cloth around my thumb. The bleeding became significant after a while.

"Damn. I've run out, huh?" I heard him mumble as he took a piece of unwritten parchment and began writing. "I'll make a potion for you to be able to control this curse of yours..." his voice dragged by the last part as I nodded without thinking. "I'm going to need these ingredients." He handed me the parchment. "Return to me as soon as you have them. Now, go. I need time to research..." He turned his back on me and went behind the curtains as glass bottles began clinking from the room beyond.

I exited the lab and went to the nearby river for a drink. After the refreshing feeling of water running down your throat settled in, I took out the list of ingredients and read it. Longtail Fang, Blue Wolf Fur, Rune Stone Fragment, and a mound of dirt.

And with that, step one to progress has been established...


	18. Chapter 18: The Prairie's Gifts

I made my way back. The path to salvation is just right behind me.

I don't know how immediate Clovis wants me to get these materials, but I can say for certain that _I_ want these as soon as possible. Although I do want to make my way home first, just to be prepared for what's to come. Besides, I want a sack of some sort to store all of these in the meantime.

My plan of getting all of these is as simple as counting from one to ten. Gather all of the hardest materials first, then continue to obtain the rest. Because let's be honest, you can get a mound of dirt anywhere in Paradise Prairie.

Reaching home, I start packing and planning my next step as soon as I could. I took out a sandwich from Armin's basket, one I still have to return when I have the chance, and took out the map Clovis gave me.

The hardest material on the list is a Longtail Beast Fang. Harvest season is still a few months away, which means finding a Longtail would be an issue. Luckily, these animals are less of a threat than they are during the harvest season. I have already dispatched a group of Longtails a year ago during the economic crisis last year, so fighting them wouldn't be a problem.

Next on the list would be Blue Wolf Fur. Wolves themselves are pretty secretive on Paradise Prairie. Adding to that, they are nomadic, and a pack of wolves in this region are a common sight if you decide to walk from village to village in broad daylight. This means that pinpointing down their dens would be quite a hassle. Fortunately, wolves aren't quite as dangerous as Longtails.

Then, a Rune Stone Fragment is needed. I have seen these Rune Stones in person, but I am not quite sure exactly where they are. But they do glow a bluish hue when a person gets near them.

Finally, a big old mound of dirt. I'm not going to say anything, it's just written there that Clovis needs a mound of dirt. Just a plain old handful of earthly goodness.

Taking the last bite of the sandwich, I grabbed a piece of fine whetstone and started sharpening my blade with it. It only took no less than sixteen scrapes for the aged blade to glow once more with a silver light. The sound of a sharpened blade being sheathed in it's scabbard is oddly satisfying to listen to.

I took the cleanest sack I could find and stuffed it into my leather bag. With it, I also brought a clean glass jar for the mound of dirt, some cloth for cleaning anything, and a small leather pouch to store my fur in.

With my inventory looking quite stale, I brushed off the anxiety of the mission at hand and headed out into the prairie.

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From what I can see it, I spent the whole afternoon searching for the godforsaken Longtails. I shouldn't be surprised that they aren't present, but I am sure as hell frustrated that that's the case.

However, I did stumble upon a wolves den near Flaron Village. Or, what used to be Flaron Village.

For you see...

Flaron is located north west of Paradise Prairie, just kilometers away from Corona. It was the nearest village to the border of Poleva Desert. As such, it was used as a base for many soldiers during the Border Wars. The citizens were promised peace in exchange for their patience and understanding about the on going feud between the two kingdoms. With the forces of the Kingdom of the Sun meddling with the affairs of many citizens, an abuse of power arose from within the village. It took a toll on the livelihood of many villagers, and things soon took a turn for the worst.

In the middle of a cold Autumn night, the forces from the Desert Kingdom ran down Flaron as if it were merely a dying bonfire, and every soldier stationed there were murdered where they stood. Every man, woman, and child had their bodies stacked up as the death count rose by the minute. It was a total massacre, as father would've described it, and Flaron was ultimately captured by the hands of the Desert Kingdom. This forced the entire Kingdom of the Sun to retake Flaron, as the position of the village proved to be too much of an advantage for the Desert Kingdom. This was the infamous Siege of Flaron, and it took a full week of endless battle to recapture the usurped village. In those seven days, both forces pushed back and forth as many soldiers, whether it was from the Kingdom of the Sun or the Desert Kingdom, sacrificed their lives to reclaim what they have lost or to desperately protect what they successfully took for themselves.

All the resources Flaron used to have died with the Desert troops, and the siege did a number on the existing buildings and houses. Since then, Flaron remained a ghost town, even the most courageous travellers refused to step foot in there, let alone stay for a night. Many say that the soldiers and villagers slaughtered all those years ago had their souls become one with the prairie, their life energy infused with the rocks of ancient origin.

This is the most popular and most well received story on how the Rune Stones came to be. And to be completely honest, none are far more chilling than this.

Even though they say Flaron was a point of origin for the Rune Stones, I couldn't find any as much to my disappointment.

On another note, I found the wolves den just east of Flaron. And even luckier for me, this was a Blue Wolf pack. It wasn't a big fight. More like a slaughter than anything else. I only killed their alpha, or what I think was their alpha. I don't want to slaughter the whole pack just for fur. That would just be inhumane and cruel. Even though I don't feel myself as human as I did all those weeks ago.

Still, I refuse to succumb to such lowly standards. I made sure to gather as much fur as I could before giving the poor thing a proper burial. I did not bother giving it a name, but I did pray for it's passing. If I did give it a name, it would've just been "Koll Two", or something unoriginal.

Well, right now, I've been walking for quite a long while, heading South ever since I got the fur near Flaron.

I took out the map and examined it again. I am near a river, as the sound of flowing water was nearby. A little bit to my right and I'd be finding myself in Corona once more.

I wonder how the team is doing? I do hope they can manage by themselves. I know David and Armin are responsible enough to actually do some work, but I do feel like Jacob, Carl, and Joshua are nuisances most of the time. But, still, David insists that we are a team, and we should keep that mentality until the day we aren't a team anymore. And, frankly enough, that mentality brought us to do more work. Albeit, with conviction. Sure those three houses we managed to build in a week, in my opinion, was no real feat, it was better than nothing. At least, we all got the equal chance to contribute.

Even if what we were doing will not matter in the grand scheme of things. I never once had the slightest sense of grandeur, but I suppose some things are too far for even those powerful enough to reach them.

I went to the nearby river. I took out my canteen, drained it's contents, only to fill it back up once again with fresh river water. Taking the filled canteen, I took a sip. As expected, the refreshing taste of river water was all I needed.

I took a quick gander at my surroundings. The Sun has set a while ago, and twilight's breeze began to howl from the mountains on the West.

It seems I won't be able to reach home by the time dinner rolls around. I guess I need to camp out for the night. It's no use trying to find any creature in the dark, let alone have the capabilities to fight a giant beast in pure darkness.

Thankfully, I did prepare some supplies in case something like this could happen. Perhaps a bit too prepared. I brought with me generous amounts of cooked left overs from last night. This, and Armin's sandwich basket, are the last bits of my food supply. Tomorrow, I might need to do some shopping around Corona.

Mainly for food and other necessities. Hopefully Corona has already set up stalls. The only people that are currently selling in Corona are wandering merchants, and we all know those types of people are scoundrels.

I settled down near the riverbank and headed out to get some dead sticks for the bonfire. After collecting a multitude of sticks, I arranged some rocks to form a small circle and threw in all the fuel I had on me.

 _"To make a fire, all you need is a piece of flat wood and a wooden stick."_ I hear the memory of my father as I first saw him make a fire right in front of my very eyes. To a kid, it was like magic. It was something incredible that you could do something out of the ordinary. It blew my mind. And so, I did what he said. I searched through my bag to get a piece of flat wood I carved out of a dead tree stump. I had the leisure to carve out multiple of these, just in case I needed to make more than one bonfire for the trip.

 _"The stick needs to be tough. Like your father, hehe..."_ I shook my head at those words as I rummaged through the fuel to find a stick that would not easily break with a simple twist. It was almost a miracle that I found one that met father's standards. A few taps to the base and you'll find out if it's really solid. _"You just gotta rub it really fast, like this, see?"_ Carving the end of the stick into a flat surface, I sat near the nest of twigs and began rubbing it on the flat wood. Soon enough, smoke was coming from where I was rubbing the two pieces of wood together. Then, sparks flew as a puny flame showed itself on the piece of wood.

 _"Look, son, fire! Here's the tricky part, see... You gotta keep it burning, like this!"_ I placed the fire on the bonfire, right next to the fuel. Placing a few twigs on the fire, I blew on it. Sparks flew out once again as the flame ate at the fuel, burning brighter with each passing moment.

Father's memories are often times more useful as they are painful to remember.

I set out to get appropriate firewood. I doubt the sticks and twigs are enough to make that tiny bonfire last the entire night. Fortunately for me, a few tree stumps and an abandoned lumber work were found a few meters out into the darkness. With the lumber work came a nifty handaxe and bundles of carved logs, absolutely perfect fuel for the fire.

I wonder who would just leave out these logs out in the open in the middle of nowhere. Frankly I haven't seen any house or village nearby, and the map depicts what I had just described. Well I couldn't really see anything in the darkness even if I tried. From the looks of the bundles of logs, they were pretty fresh, and the tree stumps still retained their earthly smell to them.

But right now, all of that doesn't really matter to me. Hey, as long as I survive the night, I'll deal with the foreboding consequences later. Feeding the flame with the wood I found earlier, it rose into a considerable fire by the time the prairie wind came by. And with that, all that was left was dinner and then calling it a night.

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The earliest morning rays of light kissed my face as dusk was already rearing itself for the day.

My eyes took a moment to register the dead bonfire beside me. I almost completely forgot I camped out near Flaron. Or rather as near to Flaron as one could possibly get. Either way, that might as well be as good as a historical moment. No one has ever camped here ever since the Siege happened. That's what I would be saying if not for the suspiciously fresh bundles of logs I found last night.

I ran through my sack for an inventory check, reviewing what I already have and found. So far, I only have the Blue Wolf fur. Thankfully, it's still clean, along with the unscathed glass jar that my mind forgot about.

Fixing my bag up nice and neat, I went to the river to splash my face with water. One splash of cold, morning river water can get even the most drowsy people up and running for the whole day. I let out a sigh as I took in the air. Cool and unfiltered.

But that's not all that I took in. Just beyond the other side of the river was a slumbering Longtail Beast. It was a big one too.

I ran up to my sword as silently as I could and dropped all the unnecessary items I had on me. It was time for combat. As much as I do have the upper hand against these wretched things, I don't exactly plan to have a long, drawn out fight that would take hours like the last time.

No, what I want to do is to slay it while it is still sleeping.

I do feel a bit bad that I don't give the big old thing a chance to fight back, but what else can I do? Kill it as humanely as possible? If I do, wouldn't that still be barbaric? For the very few people I managed to murder, only one thing is for sure.

You don't exactly put "humane" and "kill" in the same sentence.

At this point, the only enemy I am facing is the grass. I'm doing everything I could to keep a low profile and keep the sound of my sandals crunching the grass to an absolute minimum. I don't know how well these things hear, but this is not the day to be finding out.

Slowly, I closed the gap with absolutely bated breathing. It was incredibly silent that I could only hear my own racing heartbeat and the beast's loud snores...

Slowly...

Slowly but surely, I came to a halt as I was close as a meter to the Longtail Beast. It slept like a domesticated Prick-Ear Monkey, curled up and comfortable on the cool grass.

If I were to make this quick, I need to cut the neck. However, considering the enormous amount of fur and the sheer thickness of a Longtail's hide, it was clear that the task in front of me was a difficult one.

The blade clanged in my hand as my arm shook in hesitation. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and swung will all my might.

I then felt the weight of the sword slice through the thick hide and, soon enough, the soft flesh of the Longtail. Blood spluttered on me, the grass, and unto itself as the beast let out a last screech before dropping dead.

I sighed in relief. There was no resistance, but there was no honor to begin with. I ran back to the camp and grabbed the pocket knife I had bought not too long ago from the nomad market.

Pushing the beast unto it's underside, I made my way to the mouth. Usually I don't touch or go anywhere near animal mouths mainly because their stench is completely overwhelming when it comes to carving their parts out. This time, however, it can't be helped.

There was really no other way around this.

I opened it's jaws and held my breath before lunging in with the knife. The sound of the blade cut through the gums around the striped fang made my guts feel uneasy, but I knew that I had to endure. Fortunately, pulling out the fang was as easy as counting from one to three.

And with that, that's two out of four materials obtained.

Now, I wouldn't be insane enough to simply bury this gigantic corpse before exploiting it first. I suppose I could find a merchant willing enough to buy a Longtail hide at this season. I do, in fact, need the extra cash for the sole reason to have food on my table.

As I carefully flayed the beast inch by inch, the Sun's rays were beginning to rise.

I needed to hurry.

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Without much hesitation, I made my way to the memory tree. If I remember it right, there was supposed to be a bunch of Rune Stones clumped up together at the foot of the hill facing West.

And as I climbed up the hill and rested my head on the memory tree's trunk, I was right.

Rocks glowing a bright blue hue, emanating a large amount of energy, this was a rune student's typical everyday source of magic. It was, without a doubt, a marvelous sight. The words of the Flaron Siege entered my mind once again as I was reminded of the tale that created these stones.

As I approached the cluster, I could already feel it's overwhelming force. Thousands of presumed souls of humans bound into a singular, solid piece of nature. It was a horrifying thought. I slowly graze my finger against the smooth surface, the power of the souls surged through my finger. So much so that it truly did hurt.

I took out a pick I found on the way here. I was quite surprised at how people in Paradise Prairie leave their items unattended. Though I am no different when it comes to my house. Any stubborn thief would just barge in there and take all that I have. If there was anything of value to take, anyway.

One pick, I shatter the surface. Pieces of stone scattered all over the green grass. Two picks, I dig deeper. The unstable energy was being forced unto the fragments that flew from the main rock. Three picks, four picks and eventually, seventeen picks, I managed to carve a large chunk. It's weight doubled by the energy surging from the main rock to this singular mineral in my hand.

It's true that I needed only one fragment, but I still had to make sure I get enough. Who knows? Maybe this one is just enough for whatever Clovis is going to make.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" a strong voice called to me. I stood up in an instant, accidentally dropping the pick and the stone fragment. But it wasn't the strength of the voice that threw me off guard. "What are you doing mining off of a Rune Stone!?" I turned to my left and saw a brown haired woman armed with a bow coming straight towards me. "Uhh..." I couldn't speak. I had to either think of a reason, or run for my life.

"I, uhh, was just getting some fragments..." it's no use, I had to answer honestly. "And where do you suppose you'll take that? This is private property!" she said as she raised her bow towards me, readying a magic arrow along with it. "I thought this was a free country...?" "What!? W-wait..." she gave me a confused look as she lowered her bow and instead took out a small handbook. I assumed it was some sort of manual. After skimming through some pages, she sighed in defeat. "Ah crap, you got me there... Wait!" she diligently continued to flip through more pages. "Ah... Okay, okay. I see, in that case..." she kept her small book in her pocket and proceeded to clear her throat. "ARE YOU A STUDENT AT THE RUNE ACADEMY!?" she yelled, her bow now pointed at my head. "Yes..." I answered without hesitation. If this was my chance, there's no way I wouldn't take it. "Really? Let me see your coat of arms..." "I left it at home..." I blurted out without even thinking. "Oh, alright... Let's see..."

Wait she bought it!? To be honest this is the first time I got an authority figure breathing down my neck for a crime I commited. And worse, I don't even know what I did wrong...

Once again, she took out the manual, pinpointed a page and spoke, " 'A Rune Academy Student has the right to take one Rune Stone Fragment from Paradise Prairie, so as long is it fits the recommended measurements and is monitored by any official from the Kingdom of the Sun.' Here, give me that." I handed it over to her reluctantly.

I don't remember father being a con man for most of his life, but he didn't let his guard down for the most part. Travel changes a man, for good or for worst, and father is a good example of that. He used to tell tall tales about it, but now I'm no longer surprised why he wasn't so enthusiastic about it for long.

The brown haired woman took out a measly wooden ruler and measured the fragment I had extracted. After quite a bit of mumbling, in frustration it seems, she looked up to me and said, "Well, this fits the bill..." she threw me the rock, quite disappointed at what she had found out. "Anyway, sorry to trouble you in any way. I'll get going now." and with that, her bow retracted to her left forearm as she bid farewell. I simply nodded back, relieved that all of that was well and done.

"Oh? Is this yours...?" she lifted up my blade. I completely forgot I left it on the ground there. "Yeah..." "I swear this is from the Kingdom of the Sun..." she unsheathed the blade, a glint of red flashed from her eyes. "...Did you steal it!?" she said, pointing my own blade towards me. "What!? No! Colonel Levon gave it to me!" "Colonel Levon? As in _the_ Dylan Levon!?" I nodded vigorously. "Is that so...?" she said, obviously not convinced by my story. She turned to me as she sheathed and mounted my sword on her shoulders. "In any case, I'll be confiscating this. I don't know how a Rune Academy Student managed to get his hands on a sword like this, let alone receiving one from Dylan Levon. This is military property, understand? It wouldn't be okay for you to be running around with our equipment now, would it?" I could only nod as she said all those things.

She took out a piece of paper and pen, proceeding to write something on it. "Your name? Full name, I mean..." I hesitated for a bit, but I guess a name such as mine wouldn't be recognized anyway. "Roxas Alderan Von Zayne. Zayne that goes 'Z-A-Y-N-E'" she remained silent as she continued writing. "Here. If the sword truly belongs to you, then it wouldn't be a surprise for you to truly belong in the military." Then, she gave me one last smirk and left with my blade, without any sort of farewell.

On the small piece of paper, it read:

"  
MILITARY RECOMMENDATION

Recommended Person:

Roxas Alderan Von Zayne ;  
Rune Academy Student

By:

Naya Rosset ; Officer In Training

"

Naya, huh?

I never once considered the military. It looked quite dangerous as a full time job, to be honest. All I wanted was some sort of tool to protect myself with. However, now that this path has opened up to me, it wouldn't hurt for me to try.

After all, I need to gather all the strength I could find to fight off this nightmare once and for all.

And with that, all three of the major ingredients have been obtained. For the mound of dirt, I don't really know where to get it at this point. Either I get another round of scolding from Naya, whom now I had to look out for, because I'm feeling a bit lazy and can't be bothered, or get back to my house and get a mound of dirt there.

Frankly, I'd rather not gamble on the former... 


	19. Chapter 19: Life Magic

As I approached Clovis' laboratory, I double checked on all the necessary ingredients on every step of the way. I was keen to get through this once. I made sure I had plenty, as the travel around the Prairie is as tiring as it is breathtaking, both literally and figuratively. With one last check, everything was now in place. Not a single ingredient was missing.

"Clovis! I'm here!" As soon as I announced my return, the sound of crashing bottles echoed from within the laboratory, followed by almost inaudible grunts of frustration. Shortly, the cloaked woman greeted me outside. "Come in..." she said glumly as she promptly went back inside.

The same stench of the laboratory immediately took over my senses the moment I stepped foot inside. Though the smell was tolerable, it wasn't sort of welcoming either. The lab took quite a make over. Albeit, this one's for the worse. Bottles were shattered left and right, whatever remained could've been a bottle from the other room. Papers were splayed all around, as well as mysterious liquid that sometimes glows whenever something touches it.

I found myself once again at the far end of the laboratory, right where we conducted my blood experiment. This time, it was an even bigger mess than the previous room. The table on the left side was lined up with materials and resources. Though, these too, they were incredibly disorganized it was hard to tell which ingredient was which.

Clovis faced me with an emotionless smile. "Did you manage to bring everything?" "Yes..." I replied with the faintest glint of confidence. I wasn't too proud of the process. All I can say is that I'm waiting that the end would justify my efforts. "Good..." he said in a cold voice, one that brought chills down my spine.

Oddly enough, a part of me was telling me that this wasn't going to end well. However, I am already one too deep into this mess. I've got to see it through, no matter what.

Besides, I've already spent my resources attending this task. I don't want to do something I might regret.

I handed all the ingredients I had on me, and he proceeded to do his work. He moved to the big cauldron situated at a table. Clovis smiled before throwing in the Rune Stone fragment into the water, after which it glowed an intense blue before thickening into a muddy solution. He took the Blue Wolf fur and began grinding it into dust before sprinkling it into the cauldron. He then chopped the Longtail Beast fang in half, extracted the liquid from it and poured the extraction into the cauldron.

He fed fuel to the fire as it burned brighter by the second. As if it were being stirred by an invisible ladle, the solution swirled in the cauldron as it glowed a bright green before becoming a clear liquid. He took a vial from the table, one that held what I think is my blood, and poured it over the mound of dirt. He gently placed the blood dirt unto the clear liquid.

The cauldron rumbled as the dirt melted into the solution. The fire under it was slowly dying as echoes escaped the liquid in the cauldron. Screams of what was possibly hundreds or thousands of people filled my ears.

It rang and it hurt, my hands found themselves covering my ears before I knew what was happening. Soon, I was on my knees, gripping my head as my hands closed my ears. I was sweating hard, and my breathing was incredibly uneven. The darkness that were closing in on my consciousness was gone.

And I didn't even realize that I was blacking out only seconds ago.

I did not know what happened, but the faint smug on Clovis' face meant that things went well. "Hmph. Get up, the potion is done." he muttered once again in a cold voice.

I picked myself up. It wasn't a pretty sight to be seeing a man on his knees.

He held a small vial, adorned with metal thorns. I wonder if he has any designed vials in store for any potion. Do people even have the resources necessary to make intricate patterns for bottles only to be thrown away after use? It seems quite unnecessary to be honest, and a waste of precious resources.

Clovis walked up to me and gave me the vial. With an emotionless glare, he said,"Here, the fruits of your labor." "What is it...?" I asked whilst staring into the contents. I could almost see my reflection on the blood red fluid. "I cannot guarantee, but it is the answer to your curse." "Wait, so it's not the cure...?" Clovis raised an eyebrow at me. "Was that what you've asked? I could've sworn you said you wanted _control,_ not cure..."

I wanted to remember what I've said, but the memory just couldn't surface. Was it control? Was it truly what I've wanted?

Staring into the reflection that was now clearly visible on the blood red vial, it seemed that was truly the case.

Or what I've decided it to be.

I don't know how well my father handled this curse that I now want to get rid of, nor do I know what even my grandfather was thinking.

Again, again and again, I say to myself that I am now alone. In the dark for that matter, with no one to hold my hand and be my guiding light. But this time, I had a choice and my choice is to not back down.

"Well...? Von Zayne?" I couldn't reply. I neither had the guts nor the memory to prove otherwise. "Will this be the answer I seek...?" I whispered.

Clovis merely grunted at what I said. "It seems there is only one way to find out..."

With one last trace of hesitation in my blood, I drank all the liquid in one fell swoop. The taste was unexpectedly sweet, but it had a bitter aftertaste. The potion made me want to throw up as soon as it reached my belly. But I had to endure.

My senses were tingling from that, and I could've sworn I heard Clovis snicker a little bit. I felt a bit dizzy, the same feeling you get from starving yourself under the heat of the Sun. Shaking my head didn't help one bit. It just made the dizziness worse.

Before I even knew, I was slowly fading to black. This time, of all times, I wasn't able to fight back. No matter how much strength I pour into my arms, the darkness just keeps pressing on. Soon, I felt my face hit the warm, moist dirt of Clovis' laboratory.

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"It's been a while, Von Zayne..." a shrill but familiar voice came echoing from the darkness. I could feel my body move, but again, all I can see is pitch black darkness. Flailing my arms don't work either. "You don't feel at home? Wait, do you even recognize me?"

 _Yeah, I do..._

"Well, isn't that a comforting thought. Let me make it a bit clearer for you and I..." After a moment, a bright light came shining down from above. What was under the light was what intrigued me. A black creature covered with a crystallized exterior, fuming with black mist from the neck that essentially covers it's entire head. On top of what seems to be his physical head is a symbol, a symbol where it appears to be a blackened Sun.

"Hello..." "Hi..." "Oh, don't be so coy now. Come, come, have a seat..." a small wooden chair slowly rose from the darkness below us.

 _Where are we...?_

"In your mind, of course..."

 _What...?_

"Hmm? Oh, you still don't understand? Well I don't blame you. Not everyone can enter their own consciousness, you know."

 _Why am I here...?_

"The same reason you took that potion that Clovis fellow made for you. Now, we can have a talk. Face to face."

I sat down on the fairly comfortable wooden chair. I wasn't certain about what would happen next. Anything can go if this is truly my own mind.

"If this is my mind, how come it's empty...?" "That is because you are lost, Von Zayne..." every time he says my last name, my insides squirm with anger, but I decided to stay quiet for now. I somehow wanted to show whatever this thing was some level of respect. "Lost in what you're supposed to do..." "I am...?" "That's why I've given you glimpses of the future. But alas, the future isn't always set in stone..."

"Just what _are_ you...?"

"I remember telling you this a year ago, but I was unsure if you ever got the point..." it said as a chunk of it's body was cut off and fell unto the darkness below. It fell, deeper and deeper into the abyss.

"Are you... okay?"

"I'm flattered you're concerned, but... This is just how it is... The cycle has come full circle." it droned on as another piece of it's body fell. The creature's body was on the verge of shattering. Piece after piece, all of them fell into nothingness. "But if you must know, I'm part of something bigger... I'm what remained of the dragon... I don't know how I managed to attain a consciousness, though that's what every living creature experiences..."

"The dragon...? You mean, _the dragon_ Sdorica!? I thought that's was just a legend!"

"Sdorica is real, Von Zayne. Just like how the curse you bear is as real as the sky above you..."

"Wait, you mentioned something about a cycle. Tell me what it is!"

"I'd ask you to slow down, Von Zayne, but it seems I'm not one for long..." the creature prepped up to me as it's black smoke began to falter. "Listen, the curse your family bears has finally come full circle. I am going to be complete, the curse will finally be one again. The passing of your father had made it so, the fragment he held is now becoming one in your body..."

That...

That explains why I haven't heard of this... this _thing_ for so long. That explains why my body had been acting strange, why my body is acting like my father's...

"And you're going to have to go through what your father and grandfather had experienced..."

"You don't mean... I'd have to turn into... _them_...?"

"I have watched you from the darkness of your mind, Von Zayne. As much as I want to spare you the pain, it seems I'm just as powerless as you..."

"Then, what will become of me...? What of my future...?"

"But the answer to that is up there, somewhere, Von Zayne... I don't know what it might be, though I want to think it's because of what you drank back there, what that Clovis fellow made for you.

It made me stronger..."

Somehow, in the confusion of everything, maybe my choices weren't in vain at all. I've felt this feeling before, and I know where I felt it. The very same emotion when I was with Nolva. Or, what I thought it was. Though, the crevasses of my heart say otherwise. The creature's words, the curse's words, they filled me with hope.

A feeling I never thought I would feel in my lifetime...

"Listen, Von Zayne. If you want a future, seize it. Nobody, not the people around you, not the circumstances you are in, not even the world, can stop you from claiming what is rightfully yours. Not even this curse..."

"I don't know why, but I feel better..."

The creature let out a small laugh. "It's hilarious... your fathers did not take this too well. I wonder, if after all this time, you were different from the first lot?"

"I did not know my father, or my grandfather. I did not know what kind of sin they have committed to make them deserving of this fate life has given them. However, I have decided that I won't let my past consume me. Whatever they had failed to do, I shall be the one to do it.

I am not like them..."

"Is that so...? Do not fail your own words, Von Zayne. Though, it seems that is what your heart had decided..."

The creature began floating as the light enveloped it.

"Many people would want to be like their father... You truly are different, Roxas..."

And with that, the creature's black fumes turned into a bright blue flame. It engulfed the creature in it's fire, but it did not scream in pain. Instead, it had accepted it's fate, and it vanished unto the light above me, it's remnants trickling in the darkness, like stars in the night sky, like embers fading into nothingness...

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Two distinct, but distant voices echoed throughout the darkness. Slowly, an orange light came into view as my eyes opened once again. It was where I left off., Clovis' Laboratory. Or, what's left of it anyway...

I tried sitting up, but something was preventing me to do so. Sweat trickled from my forehead as I realized what my current situation was. I could feel it, magic was doing something to my body. I was bound to a wooden table. I tried not to panic, but my head was spinning. I couldn't mutter anything, no matter how much I tried.

Then, I saw Clovis muttering to himself as he tended to a familiar figure. It was a machine of some sorts, made from what appears to be monster carapaces.

Then, it hit me like a sharp blow to the head. That machine was the same abomination that walked around that night somewhere in Paradise Prairie. It moved like a person, but it's mind was not in the right place. Though I have zero knowledge about these types of things and maybe that I myself am not in the right place to say it, but I do doubt it has a mind of it's own.

It was, after all, an object created by the hands of men. I'm sure it had no plea to exist in this world.

However, mankind is of no exception...

"Clovis!" I barked at him. He did not flinch at all, he merely turned an eye towards me before looking back it his 'work'. For what it was, what I was seeing at that moment was absurd. For some odd reason that I couldn't understand, the abomination seemed to be screaming. It wasn't entirely a scream, but neither was it pleasant to hear.

It, somehow, brought me to tears.

"ENOUGH!"my emotions got the best of me as I cried as I tried to break free from the bindings. There was only so much I could give that my body begged for me to give up. Soon, my right arm flared with pain I never knew. It was different. It wasn't as painful as it normally would, but it just got numb as I struggled. Then, soon enough, there was no more pain, nor any bindings...

There was only the curse, laid bare for the world to see.

I stood up from the table as I took a quick look at my arm. It was ghastly similar to Roger's arm when he went berserk a year ago. Though similar, I was thankful to the heavens that I kept my mind through all of this. The madness of the monster's virus and this curse are two completely different cases.

In the palm of my hand, the mark of the curse glowed brighter.

"Yamitsuki!" yelled Clovis. Yamitsuki appeared out of nowhere, then shed her robe as she revealed who she was. Discarding her mask, the scar on her face was as clear as the dimly lit lamps would show. I took to my blade and drew it from the sheathe I couldn't see. She, in turn, unsheathed the blades on her wrists.

But I couldn't comprehend what happened next.

With a searing pain on my abdomen, I was immediately thrown out of the laboratory, as precisely as one could've done it. As I was flying, everything went by in a flash. There was no unnecessary destruction, nor were there any debris from the lab. I got out clean. However, my body hit the ground harder than when Roger punched me in the gut the same day he went berserk.

I tried to bear the pain as I tried to stand up from where I landed. The only part of my body that didn't ache was my right arm. I tried to look up. My whole body writhed in pain. Yamitsuki was looking down on me, bearing the same emotionless face as Clovis. For someone whose name is intriguingly unique, I frankly do not have the ability to care as of now. As I stood up, the pain already disappeared.

Right now, I am at a loss at what I'm supposed to feel.

I feel great, better than I was before. Like I've finally broken free from the invisible chains that had been keeping me down throughout my whole life. However, at the same exact time I'm feeling this liberation, I felt doomed.

I felt like I was bringing destruction to humanity. Like I was some sort of planned harbinger that would bring damnation to everyone around me. But, as I formed my numb fingers into a tight fist, the blackened crystals encasing my arm gleamed with the Sun's radiance.

Even in the midst of the empty, endless abyss, there will always be one ray of hope that would allow us to move forward.

That was the message given to me by the curse.

The same curse that had damned my fathers up until now.

"You're not escaping so easily, Von Zayne..." Yamitsuki said with a slight shrug. It was obvious that she was not entertained, nor was she willing to draw her weapons against me. But she did. I knew from that point on, that this fight was a futile one. Though, one that cannot be avoided.

Either way, I'm not willing to submit myself for experiments.

"That's fine... I'll just fight my way out..." as I said as I took a stance. My body was on fire, but the pain was not so bad. Only the numbness kept it from getting worse. I heard her sigh in anticipation and drew her wrist blades. Then, she sprouted pitch black wings, stemming from her back. Stretching her wings, she took flight. The gale from her flight was not a prairie breeze. It was enough to make me lose my balance, but only slightly. Feeling the wind slowly dissipate, I looked up to see where she went. As expected, I didn't let my guard down. I fought Longtails before, but I doubt they're as close as this. A faint shadow enveloped me as I raised my arms, readying to block.

It was time to see what this curse had done to my body.

As if time slowed down, I could clearly see her descent. She still bore the same emotionless expression. She raised her right arm as she slowly descended towards me. I dodged to the right. Pushing my left arm forward, she dodged my jab in the spur of the moment. She balanced herself gracefully and continued flying. Her face seemed shocked.

My senses had returned to where they were.

"What's wrong?" I asked her out of the blue. It took her a moment to hear my voice, yet she shook her head and answered anyways. "How...?" For a while, I didn't know what she was talking about. Looking at myself, there was nothing peculiar except that one moment where everything was at a snail's pace.

Was that the curse? It had to be. There would be no explanation other than that.

Pain surged through my body. It wasn't as if I had expected it, but it came. Before I knew, I was grasping my own heart and cold sweat trickled down my face. I was inevitably gasping for air. However, I had to keep calm. There was no other choice.

I looked back at Yamitsuki as I wiped the sweat off of my forehead. She seemed disgusted. Like a foul taste had just landed on her mouth, she frowned at me. "You're not escaping..."she said as her frown became a cold stare.

I saw her wings stretch before launching herself towards me. I had no choice but to face her head on. My hands miraculously met hers, grasping her fists as her arm blades tried to scrape my own arms. She was trying to overpower me. I yielded and stepped right, she flew right past me without any notion of stopping. She didn't crash unto the rock and dirt, but instead realigned herself. She flew up once more, and I was left on the ground, bracing myself against the strong wind. The dust had almost settled as I looked up. I could only see her silhouette against the bright Sun. She made her descent in a flash. I had no time to step back. I ducked and threw my right fist into the air. I felt a sudden impact as I saw her body collide with my fist. In that same moment, I felt her blade slash my right cheek. I embraced the pain. It was time to end this.

With a swift motion, I turned my body and punched the right side of her torso. Immediately bringing my right arm around, I elbowed her to the ground.

"That... strength..." she coughed as she laid there on the grass. I placed one foot on one of her hands. She yelped in pain as I stomped my foot unto her back. "I'm taking my leave..."

"Not so fast, Von Zayne..." Clovis came out of the unscathed laboratory, wearing a somewhat victorious grin. "It seems that the severity of the curse has lessened after taking my potion." As irritated as I am, he was right. Looking at my right arm, the crystals are only encasing my arm. It's not painfully coming out of me like spikes, it's only numbing the pain. "I have but one question. Do you still feel pain...?"

To be honest, it didn't hurt like it used to. It isn't as bad to what I am used to. Reluctantly opening my mouth to speak, I answered, "No...". I'm sure being numb is different from being in pain. Clovis sighed loudly. "Would you kindly get off of Yamitsuki? Your victory is already evident and I am itching to get back to work." And I did what I was told.

She stood up, now looking quite unfazed from her bruises. A black pool suddenly manifested under her. And with it, came the black hands. The same hands that had dragged the abomination down into itself. The hands pierced themselves unto Yamitsuki, fading into the pool as her breathing became normal again. I looked at Clovis as he retrieved the black pool with a wave of his hand.

"Life Magic. Now if you'll excuse us..." Yamitsuki's wings disappeared and, in turn, she did as well. "I do not know why you are so frustrated at me, but rest assured that we will never meet again..." He withdrew his cloak with a wave and walked back inside.

I was left outside, wondering what I shall do next.

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It has been exactly three days since I went to Clovis' laboratory...

The curse isn't so bad now. Sure, I still had the occasional pain embedded within my heart, but after all these years it's finally tolerable. Though, I still had to figure out a way to fully control it. What Clovis gave me was not full control but a painkiller, more or less. The crystals that encased my right arm had vanished, but I expect them to return every once in a while. On the brighter side, I am now able to absorb soul energy by will. With this, I am able to heal myself without worry. Though, that is the only control I have on the curse. However, I still feel somewhat guilty about taking the energies of living beings just for a wound. I'm sure I'll find a way around that.

On an unrelated note, Corona is getting up to speed quite fast. David and the others were doing absolutely fine, even without me. "It's okay, Roxas. We understand your situation." David reassured me as the rest of the team gave me their warm smiles. "We're going to be fine, Roxas. Go do what you need to do." Armin added. "Are you sure, guys? I mean I can come back if you guys want and-" "No need to worry about us, brother." Jacob said with a unnatural smirk on his face. To be frank, smiling doesn't suit him very well. They all gave a thumbs up as they continued to do their 6th house.

All of Corona seemed pretty content with their lives. Even those who were completely devastated were smiling happily.

Is this what they mean?

I have contemplated over this the night in which I drank the potion Clovis gave me. After all that, I had nowhere else to go. Besides David and the others, I had no other options.

Except, of course, the military recommendation the Officer in Training gave to me the day before.

I have lived a dangerous life up to this point, and whatever I do, danger always comes up whenever I least expect it. To embrace the peaceful life mother wanted me to have, it was merely a dream. More or less.

If I was going to be thrown into battle every now and then, I might as well embrace the fight. I needed to be stronger, to protect the people that matter to me.

For the first time in my life, I felt that my decisions were now meaningful...


	20. Chapter 20: Under The Grace of The Sun

Lost, scared, and quite possibly confused, I trudge on with the little meaning I have left...

Again and again, my thoughts have enveloped my body. I was paralyzed from toe to ear.

I am in the middle of packing my belongings in a somewhat decent travel bag. It wasn't much, it was only about 150 curren from the cheapest item shop in Corona, but it did work well. Frankly, I didn't have much belongings to begin with. Most of which I usually wear on my body, especially my robe with it's multitude of convenient pockets. Now, I realized that I didn't have much on me despite having, what they would say, an "okay" income for a farmer's boy.

I guess buying new things every once in a while doesn't appeal to me as much as it does with other people. I never really thought about buying things, actually. I didn't want my already saddened father to feel pressured about my selfish wants.

Even now, even when he's already gone.

My eyes darted back and forth with all my belongings. "Am I really going to do this...?" I asked myself for the hundredth time this morning. I sat on my bed, grasping the book mother wrote. The silence and lingering dread made sure I heard my fast heartbeat. The cold sweat on my palms kept me from breaking down. "No one is stopping me..." I said to myself as I finally decided to place the book in my bag.

I exited my house, and looked at it one more time.

I have thought about burning it down, but it would've been stupid. Childish, even. Even if I never want to go back, even if I forget this dreadful past of mine, I could never erase the scar it had on my heart. It's true that I had the short end of the stick when it came to the life of an outskirt peasant, but, in all honesty, what sort of choice did I have?

Besides, even if father would've wanted to burn this old hut into Vendacti's soil, I'm sure mother wanted to keep this memory. And that's what's important.

Right, mother...?

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I never dreamed of finding myself here. Sun Capitol, the heart of the Kingdom of the Sun. Where the light of the nobles shine as bright as the Sun's incandescence.

Many stories revolve around the noble houses, or so I heard. With the most powerful family at the top of the Kingdom, the Carlos family, then came the 12 or so noble families that pledged their allegiance to them. But all of the stories lead to one undeniable fact, that the Carlos family are the direct descendants of the Dragonslayer himself.

Though, in the end, all of that is left to the history books to decide. I, for one, have no idea what went through their heads all those years ago. Whether it was for power, peace, or liberation, the so-called self-proclamation of the Carlos family was the dawn of a new era for humanity. And whether it was true that they are the descendants of the Dragonslayer or not, it was no longer a matter of debate. Their influence had already affected all the citizens that clambered along the walls of the Sun Capitol that the mere thought of questioning their power was as ridiculous as befriending a demihuman.

Ever since word got out of King William's passing, her brother, Regent Theodore, had temporarily taken over as substitute ruler until her niece would reach the right age. There, she would be the Kingdom of the Sun's new queen.

So far, that is what I know. I don't talk about royalty or anything like that. Knowing where I'm from, it is something that far isn't up to us to speak about. Let alone think about, for we have no business floundering about the riches that we can never obtain. Still, I felt the atmosphere thicken the moment we all learned about the late king's death.

He was, after all, what father would say, "An excellent ruler".

As for my current situation, I don't really know where to start. I don't exactly remember the Officer in Training telling me where to go in case I do end up making this decision. Was she expecting me to know where? Maybe, but for the sake of my own cluelessness, I had to take action somehow.

Look at me, a country boy within the big city. I suppose mother would find this somewhat amusing.

And so, I spent the next hour or so asking for directions. Most people just straight up ignored me, but I didn't mind. I was kind of expecting them not to answer me, anyway. But, somehow, luck had smiled upon me today. "HEY! WHERE DO YOU SIGN UP FOR THE MILITARY?! HEY! HEY, HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU! DON'T YOU IGNORE ME!" I saw a short, ill-tempered girl right in the middle of a cross section. I'd have a feeling she'd beat me down if I ever try to talk to her.

Nonetheless, she'd lead me to registration.

Hopefully.

"Hello, are you looking for military registration, too?" I asked her nicely, trying to at least calm her down and avoid any unnecessary fighting. She immediately turned her gaze towards me, and I saw her eyes shine in response. "Yes I am! And you are...?" It took me 2 full seconds to think of an appropriate reply to say to her. "I am Roxas. I was hoping we'd look together. I'm kind of lost..." "Hmph! Well, you might not know me, but you shall be granted the honor of knowing me first! I am the Great Sharice Carterwell! Nice to meet you! So, do you have any idea where it is...?" I shrugged at her question. "I don't know. All I got is this military recommendation." "Oh? Can I see it?" I handed it to her without question. "Woah, from Officer Naya herself!?" "Is that good...?" "Hell yeah it's good! Oh, I know where she's stationed right now! Follow me!" She gave it back to me before going into an all out sprint.

With little hesitation I had left, I had ran after her. Unsure whether following her was the best idea I had in mind.

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More or less, I was happy I took that small leap of faith.

I find myself outside of Sun Capitol. We exited from the southern gate and headed west to the open plains. Apparently this is where most of the military is situated.

Soldiers are constantly bustling in and out of the gates. Whether it's for training or convenient labor, I'm going to find that out soon enough.

"I swear, it was around here somewhere..." I overheard Sharice talk to herself as she looks around for Naya's office. "I cannot fail to remember! I am the greatest! I must not falter!" Aside from decently sized brick buildings, most of the shelters here are tents, so I have no idea how an office would be situated in a small tent.

I figured that it would take quite some time for Sharice to find Naya's office.

But, lo and behold, Sharice's eyes widened as she pointed out to a single tent from our location. "Oh! OH! It's that one! Come on!" Her enthusiasm got the best of me as I got dragged to the very tent she pointed to. I closed my eyes for one second and we were there in a flash. Without the slightest bit of worry, she went inside. I merely sighed as I did the same.

"Good morning, what do you need from me?" I immediately recognized that voice. Naya turned to the both of us as I entered. "Officer Naya!" Sharice immediately stood straight and did a salute. My body froze, as I didn't exactly knew what to do. Should I be doing a salute like what Sharice is doing? There's a part of me that forces me to succumb to this type of pressure, but at the same time, my very own indecisiveness froze my body from head to toe.

"I am Sharice Carterwell! And this is..." she paused for a second before poking me. "I kind of forgot your name..." I sighed as I tried my very best to hide my disappointment. "Roxas Alderan Von Zayne, ma'am..."

"Von Zayne...? What do you want? I'm in the middle of something..." Naya stood there with her arms crossed, itching for us to answer. "Uh... Officer Naya, correct? I thought about your offer and, well, I've decided to take it." I did my very best to speak from all the unexpected pressure. I slowly pulled out my Recommendation Slip and gave it to her. "Well..." she said with a faint smile. "I suppose you're not here just for the sword, are you?" I slowly nodded silently. "That settles that, wait for me outside. I'll enlist you once I finish my business." Once again, I nodded silently as I did what I was told. "W-What about me!?" I heard Sharice spoke up before I stepped out.

Frankly, following someone's orders was a new experience for me. I personally wouldn't count my experience working under Carrie. The flower shop business was more into initiative and routine work than anything. Well, it would _still_ fall under taking orders, but I feel like this is a brand new environment for me.

Admiring the smooth yet dusty work rounds of a few soldiers, I could hear Sharice shout at the top of her lungs from outside. Although she was shouting, I couldn't exactly hear what she was saying. I just assumed she was upset about something. After a short while, Sharice greeted me outside with an irritated face. "What happened?" I asked her in the most polite manner I could. "I have to go to another officer in charge. Naya can't take me because I don't have her recommendation..." "Really? Well..." At this point, I've ran out of things to say. "It's dumb. I've already had my turn with her. Hmph! But it doesn't matter! I am the Great Sharice Carterwell! Even a small process won't be able to stop me!" She proudly declared, directing all of the attention towards her.

I'll be honest, I would be embarrassed if I caught that much attention in public. I'd break if I were in her position. But, she maintained all her dignity. She is proud to show it, even.

"Anyway, thanks for bringing me, I guess..." Sharice spoke up quietly, rubbing the back of her neck. "You know, I should be the one saying that." I chuckled silently as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "I'll meet you on the field. If you manage to enlist yourself, that is..." I said to her with a warm smile. "Sure..."

As if on cue, Naya had exited the tent just in time for my talk with Sharice to end. "Let's go, Von Zayne." "Yes, ma'am!" I replied with a little more energy than last time. Naya flashed a small grin at me before beginning to walk. I immediately followed suit. As we were walking away, I turned to Sharice one more time and gave her a thumbs up. She did the same and began walking the other way.

For a girl with a small stature like that, she has a big heart. Even when her mouth gets too big for her own good...

We began walking around the encampment. I suppose we were walking towards a registration center, but I had trouble focusing on one thing. The amount of activity, noise, and smell was all too much for my weak senses to bear. I felt somewhat nauseous.

I'm not getting used to this new environment any time soon.

"So, Von Zayne." My senses returned just in time for me to hear Naya speak up. "Yes, ma'am?" "How exactly did you take a sword from our own military? You do realize that theft of military equipment and property is punishable by law, right?" And to be frank, she was right. If Colonel Levon hadn't given me special permission to wield that particular sword, I wouldn't have been able to spend the last year in Corona in a flower shop.

I'd be rotting in the underbelly of the Kingdom.

"It's an interesting story, really." "Really? Then tell me. I wouldn't mind listening." Judging from her look, I was sure that my story would be able to kill some time. Besides, I have never told anyone else what happened that night.

Not even Marcus.

"Do you know that fire that engulfed Corona last year?" "Hmm..." she stopped to think, but sighed in defeat. "No, but I heard of the one that struck Corona a few months back. Last year, was it?"

"Yes" I nodded.

"It was already nighttime when it happened. I didn't know much back then, but I knew it was caused by a rampaging Acelin."

"The bandit!? Damn it..." Naya held a clump of her hair and ran her hand through it. It was clear to me that she was frustrated about something.

"Are you okay, ma'am?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. Continue..."

"I heard a platoon of soldiers running through the streets to respond to the bandit, but even they failed and died in the process." I heard Naya shudder for a moment. I wanted to stop and ask her what's wrong, but I went on.

"I stumbled upon their dead bodies. And because of one small flicker of reckless bravery, I had decided to take one sword and sheathe and face Acelin alone. I'm not going to lie, I had almost died that night. The pain was unimaginable. But, somehow, I managed to fend him off. He escaped, but I was unable to do anything to prevent that."

"Then Colonel Levon came. I told him what happened and he somehow believed me. I don't know if it was out of the kindness of his heart, but he allowed me to take the sword and keep it. Then, he just left. Just like that. Now I own a sword from the Kingdom. Well, until you took it, of course."

Naya nodded silently. "Wow..." she whispered. "Even after all that, I still couldn't believe you." Well, I don't really blame her. In fact, if I were to tell the same exact story to another random person, they wouldn't believe me either. Or worse, they would call me insane.

But, after all I've done, felt, and seen, I'm surprised I haven't gone insane myself.

I nodded to her in silence as we continued to walk in between the slots of the encampment. Soon, we stopped our tracks in front of a tent, one larger than the others. "Alright, get inside." And so, I did what I was told yet again.

There was a reason why this particular tent was larger than the rest, but I couldn't quite grasp the reason for it being so.

The thought disappeared as I began looking around.

"Colonel Levon! I've got a new recruit!" Naya called out from the entrance. I had expected the war hero to greet the both of us, but instead a silver-haired lady took her place.

"Naya!"

"Dear Sione!" The two girls embraced each other, practically forgetting my existence.

"I thought you'd be back at the 30th?"

"Oh, the Angie didn't mind. Besides, it _has_ been a while since I've been here." The silver haired woman's attention was finally directed at me.

"He's a new recruit?" She pointed at me, looking at Naya with curiosity. Naya nodded in reply.

"He's also the same one who took that sword. From last year, I mean..." she added.

"Oh... okay, then. You're looking for Colonel Levon, right? He's out right now, but he should be back any moment. In any case, I'll see you later, dear Naya." She hugged her again, exchanged smiles, and left the tent. From what I can see, she isn't really too pleased with my presence. "We'll wait here, Von Zayne." Naya grumbled as she took a seat. Without much choice, I took a seat parallel to where she sat.

"You're not very social, are you?" Naya said from the opposite end of the tent. "It's just that..." my own response was cut short by a lump on my throat. Even though answering this would easily be done, somehow, I couldn't do it. "It's just... I'm back to being alone..." I said, aware that my own voice faltered from it. Naya sighed loudly.

"Listen, you're not going to get far with that kind of attitude. Have some resolve."

"Resolve...?"

"You fought Acelin, didn't you? Heh, you even said it yourself." Naya smirked. "Come on. If you're going to commit yourself to this, you better have no regrets!"

"Naya? Oh, I thought I heard voices..." Colonel Levon entered the tent, cutting off her speech.

How she says it reminds me of how my mother used to say things to me to make me feel better. Though it lacked the tenderness behind it, it's close.

"Colonel!" Naya cleared her throat. "I've got a new recruit." Her hand directed his attention at me. I stood up and did a half-hearted salute. Better that than nothing, I suppose.

"His name, Naya?"

"Von Zayne. Roxas Von Zayne..."

"Hold on a second, Von Zayne?"

"You heard me."

"Oh! Well, I've never thought I would be seeing you here." Colonel Levon smiled warmly. I gave a faint smile in return.

"Hmm... wait a moment..." his eyes narrowed as he inspected me.

"Where is the sword?"

"Uh... Miss Naya confiscated it. She gave me a recommendation, though."

"Really, now? It seems that my judgement was right all along. I did hear that Corona is getting better every day, is it not?"

"Yes, sir. I even helped them with the reconstruction and all."

"Mhm, excellent. Now..." he walked over to the single table at the far end of the tent and took out a piece of parchment, a quill and some ink. "I'll enlist you once you fill out this form and the permission of your parents." I promptly took the form and quill, and sat down in front of the wooden table.

But there is an underlying problem...

"Sir Levon?"

"Yes?"

"I apologize but... my parents are dead..."

"Oh... I'm incredibly sorry to hear that." He stopped to think for a moment. Thankfully, he cleared away the gloomy atmosphere immediately.

"Alright then, please fill out the form, I think I know an alternative." He said as he sat behind the table and began pulling out it's drawers.  
"Naya, you can go back to your station now. Thank you." With that, Naya stood firmly, saluted, and left without a single word.

"Ah, here it is." He smiled, holding an even smaller piece of parchment. "This is an oath. All you need to do is to sign here, at the back." he said while pointing at the parchment's back portion. "Once you're done with the form, I want you to read the oath before signing it. Do you understand?"

"Uhm... yes, sir..."

"It seems that is your start."

I finished up the form without any problem. Then came the oath.

On the small parchment, I read:

"By this oath, you shall lend your heart, body, and soul to the prosperity and safety of the Kingdom of the Sun, that the arms you bring into battle are for the future of the people, and with the Sun being your only witness, you shall grip your blade, shield, and bow, and never cease to shine!"

Wow...

All this for one soldier?

I looked up at Colonel Levon. He was waiting.

It was at this point where I looked back on all my memories.

I tired myself out for the sake of living. I have done things out of the recklessness of my own heart. I have foolishly and often unwillingly allowed myself to be hurt. My hands were no longer the same, soft hands my mother used to hold. And whenever I embraced peace, the call of pain and suffering would always woo me back.

But no more.

I won't run anymore.

If facing it would give me a reason to truly live my life to it's fullest, then the only direction I'll take is towards it.

With a deep breath, I signed the oath. 

May the Sun's glory bless my very decision...


	21. Chapter 21: A Place Among Men

The same, familiar light brushed up against my eyes. I opened them and found myself under a roof that wasn't mine.

I had _almost_ forgotten that I had enlisted for the military. I sat up on the somewhat comfortable bedding that was given to me last night. Though it was true that yesterday was now a memory, I couldn't help but feel like it was some sort of far off dream. Like a sensation you can't quite describe...

Like some missing link that is begging to be put into the larger puzzle in my mind. It was an uncomfortable feeling, more or less.

Rubbing my eyes, I glanced at the opening of the tent. Taking the first breath of the day, I went outside. The Sun didn't wait for anything as it shone it's bright light unto my face as I took two more steps outside.

I noticed that every tent around me had their entrances facing East. A part of me wondered if that was intentional, a symbolism I have yet to know within the society of the Kingdom.

This was when I realized my place was in this country.

I was no more than an outcast.

I entered this world within the Kingdom willingly, but regardless of the strength of my will, I was alone. I had no one to turn to when it came down to accompanying me here. If someone were to say that the souls of my parents are here with me, I'd laugh it off and tell them they're right.

But who knows?

I always had a foreboding feeling that I'll find the truth soon enough. But even then, the fear would be washed away by the same hope that will guide me to the truth. What truth I'm after is a question I have yet to answer.

Rubbing off the sleep in my eyes, I took one last breath of fresh air as I allowed the Sun's radiance to bless my face, first thing in the morning.

Before I decided to go around the encampment, I went back in and organized my belongings. I've put every small object that would fit in my robe pocket on a small table beside the makeshift bed. I've placed a few other big ones beside the bed table afterwards.

And with that, I'm finished with my belongings. I truly don't have much on me, do I?

I looked around the tent. It was bigger than my home, but only slightly. The rune lamp that hung over the tent radiated a warm orange color, giving the tent a relaxing atmosphere. Beside the tent's entryway was a small table filled with papers. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look.

On the table, various papers were splayed all around, but one pile was kept neatly stacked. I took one paper on top. The paper glowed bright blue as inscriptions were written on the front. At the top left hand corner, it showed my full name. On the other side, the right hand corner, it showed today's date, 18th of Dawn Month. In the middle, the word 'ANNOUNCEMENTS' was displayed in bold, black letters.

I realized what that neatly piled stack of papers were for. I've read this rune contraption before, but only now did I witness how it worked in person. This was an automatic parchment inscriber. This was developed by the Rune Academy by a certain team studying applied magic.

I remember what father used to say to me about rune items, "Don't play around with things you don't understand, Roxas...". Looking back, it was a pretty dumb decision of me to do. I used to be so fascinated about magic. How it worked, and how it can be used to live better lives, but looking at the curse my family bore, that single spark of fascination in my heart faded along with the hope of being cured by this madness.

But even then, I doubt that the hope faded in the first place. And now, sometimes, I question myself if the doubt was ever real in the first place.

The very thoughts of the curse made me feel very aware of my right arm. It didn't exactly hurt, but, moving it around, I wasn't comfortable either. It felt like every time I wanted to move, I was in danger of hurting myself again.

Brushing off the discomfort, I focused on the rune contraption in my hand.

Underneath the bold word lay the only a single statement. It read:

"Meet with Sergeant Muca near Colonel Levon's Office after the first horn for your orientation. Good luck Private Von Zayne, and may the Sun guide your way"

Before I could even wonder what the first horn was, a great sound bellowed from somewhere in the encampment. One sound I could only associate that to, would be the first horn.

I quickly scrambled to my robe and threw it on me as I ran outside to Colonel Levon's office. Despite the hazy memory, I could pinpoint which tent to turn to as I ran. It wasn't a maze anymore, but it was still, more or less, as confusing as when I first arrived here.

But the fogginess of my mind had cleared the moment I arrived outside of the Colonel's office. Closing my eyes for a moment, I stopped and caught my breath. I should work on my stamina if I'm going to get anywhere in the army. "Ah, so you're Von Zayne?" a voice called out to me. I opened my eyes and saw a red haired man, who is slightly taller than me. I immediately stood up straight and did a salute.

Frankly, it is the first time I'd ever done it with all my heart. Even so, I was proud of myself at that small moment.

"Yes, sir!" I laid down my hand as soon as I could. "I'm Sergeant Jerome Muca. You just enlisted, correct?" I nodded. "Yes, sir."

Jerome nodded back. "Good." he looked around and scanned me for a moment, before looking at me while grinning in satisfaction. "Punctuality is an excellent trait to have in the army. As you may know, you are assigned to me for orientation. However, there are still many who have enlisted in the past week and have yet to be oriented as well. You are the last person to enlist, yet you are the first to arrive on time. I'll commend you for that. We'll wait for the others before we begin."

We both exchanged nods before Jerome went into Colonel's office. I exhaled a big sigh of relief before resting on the damp earth. I realized that there were still remainders of sleep in my eyes and began rubbing them. My body was still too stiff for this, and my mind was clearly dreading for the incoming days of hard work. Still, I have entered into this willingly, and I'm not going to back out any time soon.

After all, being cooped up in Corona didn't sound too pleasing to me.

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After several minutes of waiting, people began to come together and wait outside of the office. I could only assume that these people are the new recruits. Some are talking with others, others are sitting anxiously, and a few chose to stay away from the group as far as they could without missing the upcoming orientation.

All of these people were wearing smiles. Smiles I could only guess were made from the pleasures of everyday convenience. Still, even if some aren't really smiling away, I'm sure that they're smiling somehow in their minds.

And for some odd reason, this all made my stomach churn.

Despite the odd feeling, time finally came as Jerome exited the tent and called for everyone, "Gather around, new recruits!" We did as we were told and gathered in front of him with murmurs flying left and right above everyone's heads. The silent talk died down as Jerome cleared his throat, "As you all may know, I am Sergeant Muca and I will be the one who will orient all of you with what we do. But, first and foremost, Welcome, all of you, to the Sun Army!" Almost everyone around me were cheering, but all of that was silenced as soon as Sergeant Muca cleared his throat once more. "I'm afraid that, beyond this point, we won't be cheering for small things like that. We will only cry out for two things: when we're charging into the fight, and once more when the fight is done." He held out two fingers in front all of us. Cold had suddenly took control of my soon to be comrades as they all stood there, frozen in place.

Whether or not it was fear, it didn't matter one bit in the face of the adversity we were going to face someday.

"I'm sure all of you have been given this unique parchment..." Jerome held out the same rune contraption. "This is your Personal Update Parchment, or P.U.P for short." Everyone, including me,took out their P.U.P.s. "Each of you will have only one, so be sure to be responsible with it. In addition to that, the P.U.P. will only update for matters that involve only yourselves, which will be seldom, hence the 'Personal' part of the name, but I urge you to be vigilant at all times. Do you understand?" Everyone answered with a sounding "Yes, sir!". "Good. On your P.U.P., it should say today's date and your first update. I want everyone to read it out loud and in unison..."

I did not bother reading it for the sole purpose of not embarrassing myself. Still, I moved my lips around as if I was reading, to avoid any trouble in case I was caught. I did, after all, understand it. I'm sure everyone did, as well. As everyone finished reading, Sergeant Muca didn't look entirely pleased. "I'm sure you all understand what that meant. To the information of everyone, the Sun is already atop most of the mountains, therefore three horns have passed already. The P.U.P. stated that you should meet with me as soon as you hear the first horn." Sergeant Muca jumped down from the crate with a loud crash, his armor intensifying the metallic sounds. "Discipline is one of the many characteristics that make a good soldier! Since this is your first day, I'll be considerate. 10 laps around the encampment for everyone!"

Without hesitation, most of us ran towards the nearest exit to the clearing. I merely followed the crowd as I had no idea where to start. Soon, before I even knew it, most of my comrades stopped at the brink of the clearing. It was a grassy opening, where one could enjoy the day's breeze without any worry. However, we weren't there to admire the scenery, nor relax for one bit. One, two, four, some of them began to deliver their orders. Shaking off my anxiety, I pushed myself to a jog. I wasn't fast, I'll admit, but I was not getting exhausted anytime soon.

After several minutes, most of my comrades were now exhausted. Somewhere, I heard Sergeant Muca yell, "IS THAT THE BEST ALL OF YOU CAN DO? YOU HAVE ONLY COMPLETED FIVE LAPS!" Then, like scrambling mice, the people in front of me began to pick up their pace. We were now running. Now, I can feel the exhaustion slowly cling unto my shoulders as the weight of my robe dragged me down.

Nevertheless, I pressed on. I don't know what it means to truly be a soldier in a lifetime, but my body will soon learn what it is. Then, after a whole while, I felt my breathing become heavier and my legs began to ache. It seems I have reached my limit. However...

"OUT OF THE WAY, SMALL FRIES! THE GREAT SHARICE CARTERWELL IS COMING THROUGH!"

The same, insincere voice had echoed through the clearing and well into the crowd. I looked back and saw Sharice run past several of my comrades, and, like a bolt of lightning, she had managed to catch up to me. I tried voicing out to say hello to her, but she ran past me and disappeared into the group in front of me.

Watching a friend like that fly off like an over charged rune chariot, it made me feel energized. Looking back, even the tired ones were looking up to her for the last bit of strength to finish this supposedly deadly task. So, carrying a smile I gave to myself, I shot forwards, like an over charged rune chariot.

Soon, the laps were over and most of us were out of breath. I have to admit, even though I have spent most of my life working on the fields all day, even _that_ made me exhausted. Everyone was motivating each other, some even congratulating themselves for a job well done even though they were sweating like a broken pipe. "Good work, all of you..." Sergeant Muca said as he climbed on top of another crate.

"But that is only the beginning..."

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Right now, I don't exactly know where to go...

I'm currently in the busiest district in Sun Capitol. The murmurs of the passing noblemen and noblewomen and the constant whirring of several rune chariots filled the approaching summer air. The aura of pride and sophistication carried the Capitol's citizen everywhere. Even the soldiers seem proud of what they do. If pride was a liquid, then I think it would be leaking from every arm and leg of every citizen here.

Something I, personally, am not used to seeing at all.

What I am used to is the warm smiles that everyone wore in Corona; smiles that said, "Hey, I'm not rich, but I'm happy where I am!". People who didn't have to bother everyone because everyone else was helping each other.

That was the kind of thing that I am truly used to seeing. And, to be frank, it feels like I'm watching a whole new world unravel in front of my very eyes. So much so that I'm trying my best not to look away and hide myself in my mother's ghastly work.

Again, I don't know where I am...

All I knew was that after our 10 laps, we sat under the heat of the Sun to listen to more of Sergeant Muca's words. Everyone, even the sarge, didn't like the idea one bit. We were sweating hard, unlike what happened with the laps. Then, we were dismissed and given our salary for the week by an officer whose face I didn't quite catch on the way here. I think it was more of a first day compensation than a real salary. Still, I do have spare curren on me that I am definitely not planning to spend on anything that isn't useful.

I do like the fact that I don't have much belongings. That makes moving from place to place easier, and I don't have to worry about being robbed. Unless of course the robber knows magic, in which case, I'm not too happy to be a part of that situation.

I merely followed the scattering recruit group into the Capitol. And I am beginning to regret the decision.

However, as luck would have it, I had caught the scent of meat that wafted in the air. So, I followed the smell of the cooking and found myself in front of a small, but rather welcoming tavern in a small corner near an alleyway. And what do you know, it _is_ a welcoming tavern. The orange rune lights on the ceiling, the interior covered in smooth dark oak, and the somewhat quiet space in between the tables made it feel very homey.

"Oy! We got a customer o'er here!" a rough, but feminine voice echoed from within the tavern. "New one, eh?" "Oh, uh, hello. Yeah, I'm sort of new here, so...". Without another word, she raised her finger in the air and yelled into the back, "Fresh skin, Danny!" "What's he like, Julia?" another burly voice answered her from beyond the wall. "Armor, eh?" she looked back at me with her narrow eyes, darting from one point to the next like a fly on a pile of trash. "Soldier, right?" "Uh, yea-" "SOLDIER, DANNY! AND A NEW ONE, AT THAT!" "Comin' right up, miss!" and the kitchen began to clang with activity. "So, welcome to the ol' Wineskin, soldier! Take a seat, see where you fancy sitting, hehe~" she waved her hand to the rest of the tavern. The place was half full, so places to sit were still open.

I decided to sit near the exit. Somehow, my body told me to sit here. Whatever the reason is, I'm afraid I'm too shy to say.

The girl from the counter sat in front of me after a while. "Alrighty, then. What brings you to the Capitol, soldier?" I honestly want to be left alone with my thoughts. I want to think about what I want to do next, what I'm aiming for. But it seems that even the world doesn't want me to be alone for one bit. And so, I answered her anyway. "Someone recommended me, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try."

"Oh? And who would be bold enough to recommend you to the Sun Army? Ya see, soldier, many are called, but few survive. Ya get me?"

"Yeah, I do. And it was Officer Naya who recommended me, by the wa-"

"You SERIOUS there, soldier!? Woah, ho ho! I dunno what you did, but it looks like it worked!"

"What? Why? I mean, I just got recommended by an officer, I don't see why it to be a big deal-"

"NOT A BIG DEAL!? You sure like to kid me, soldier! I've heard many a soldier get recommended into the army, but not by an official that's CLOSE to the royal family! Trust me, soldier, I've heard ALL their stories! Talent, hard work, all that crap that makes you wanna puke instead of cryin'! But YOU, soldier, you must be something else!"

At this point, I had no idea what she was blabbering about. Sure, I got recommended by an officer, but I have seriously zero ideas as to why that has to be something big. Like she had told me a while ago, many are called. But, why do I get to be different?

Somehow, a deep voice in my heart told me that it was okay. But, even if I had to follow the voice in my heart, my thoughts couldn't seem to understand why. Why does fate want me to be so different from the rest of the people around me? Why can't I be a part of a community that does not depend on my uniqueness as a person?

"Order's up, Julia! For the new kid, 'ere..." the girl had stood up from where she sat and walked to the counter to get my supposed platter of food. And about time, too. I was getting hungry from that small talk. In hindsight, it was more like a shouting contest than a normal conversation. "Here ya go, soldier! That'll be 75 curren, aye?" "Oh, right. Hold on a second..." I reached into my robe, grabbing my curren pouch.

It had almost slipped my mind that we were given a compensation this week, so my money was well over what I was used to seeing. I gladly gave her the curren, which she received eagerly with a wave of her hand. "Enjoy your meal!" she said as she left to attend the other customers coming into the tavern.

Looking at my food, it was filled with things that I wasn't exactly familiar with. Despite that, the aroma was incredible and my stomach growled. I had no other choice than to dig in. The meat was incredibly tender and sweet, and the vegetables were crunchy and flavorful despite the lack of any sauce.

It was like mother's cooking all over again...

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"Come back next time, soldier! Danny and I are more than happy to serve, aye?" "Alright, I'll be sure to come back." with a nod, I left the Ol' Wineskin and returned to breathe the air of aristocrats and noblemen.

The homey atmosphere didn't exactly leave my mind as I walked back towards the southern gate. It felt like my eyes were constantly looking forward to my return to the welcoming tavern. If I'm able to orient myself into this lifestyle, I may be able to get my head in for the most part.

I'm almost missing the open fields of Paradise Prairie; the quiet and peaceful fields of my past. I wonder where Roger and Kittyeyes are right now... More so, is Koll still with them?

"Oy! OY! I'm talkin' to yer!"

The fuzziness of my mind had almost gotten the best of me as I heard a man shout from behind me. I turned around to look, my senses finally adjusting themselves since my leave from the Ol' Wineskin.

"Yeah, you! Damn, finally, you sure are full of yourself, huh?" the voice that had shouted a second ago belonged to a man who, along with a couple of people, was looking at me with eyes filled with anger.

"Er... what? I'm sorry, I don't know what yo-"

"SHUT UP!" The man's eyebrows had narrowed to the point where his face was full of wrinkles.

"Who are you...? I just arrived into the Capitol yesterday, and I don't remember meeting all of you."

"Of course, ya don't ya Pacifist Prairie-boy!"

"Yeah! You best be getting your ass out of here!"

"We don't want any outsiders from the Capitol!

"Yer better off with the Demi-humans in the slums, Praire-boy!"

I don't know what I did, nor do I know what I had done to make them feel this way. Like magic, it was as if they were created by fate itself to put me down. But, even if I tried, I know they're not people you can talk down easily. They're the ones that will hurt you until they win. I've dealt with these people before in Corona, before and during my time in the flower shop. The ones who will shout at the innocent just to get a moment of temporary glee.

My heart was flaring up, and my face was turning red. I did not want to be in a fight the day after I arrived in the Capitol. More or less, I didn't want to cause trouble for the sake of being here. It just didn't sound right for the people who lived here. "I'll just... do this." with a short glance, I turned my back towards them and walked away.

And that, even if it was the best choice for me at that very moment, was one of my worst decisions I have ever made.

The next step I took, I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, then a metallic clang on my left. My right hand went over the part where it stung, and in the next instance, blood was all over my hand. I took a peak at what made the clang; it was a metal boot. I looked back, they didn't move from where they stood. They continued to look at me with hateful eyes. With whatever pride I had left for myself and my family name, my body turned to face them.

Talking was out of the question, and my legs didn't feel like fleeing either.

If they want a fight, who am I to deny them a brawl?

I approached all five of them, each with faces distorted with wrinkles.

"What'cha gonna do then, Prairie-boy? Hahahaha!"

Then, as if like magic, I felt my right hand punch the man in front of me squarely in the face. I felt the bones in his head move a bit, but I didn't feel them break. The man stumbled backwards into the arms of his friends. He spat on the ground, expelling a tooth,

"That's it!" he cried with all that he could, then all of his friends threw their punches. It was at this moment that I had forgotten I still didn't have a sword with me.

All of them threw their fists wildly at my direction. But, even if that were the case, one had hit my stomach. The pain surged through my body, but it was bearable at the least.

After all, I've been hit with Roger's gut wrenching blow. It was about time I've gotten used to it.

I recoiled backwards. Bearing the pain, I planted my feet firmly and threw another punch at the nearest man. I had hit him, but in return, I took another blow to the shoulder. Taking a step back, my right hand found its way unto my left shoulder.

I told myself that I shouldn't stop here, but I felt the gazes of the passersby dig deep into my skin. Now, we were drawing attention, but their assault did not stop. Truly, they were beasts without a sense of reason. Only fueled by the sense of hate they have for me.

And I still don't know what I did wrong.

Again and again, they continued to barrage me until my legs had given up. My back had already hit the concrete before I could even think. The only sensation I felt was the intensity of their kicks. I raised my arms, they were still going. I was now desperate for some sort of way to block out the pain.

Then, I heard a familiar voice.

"STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

My suffering had stopped. I lowered my arms, the men were now looking to where the voice was. I couldn't help but turn my eyes towards that direction, too.

It was Colonel Levon.

I looked back at them, they seemed scared. They were frozen in place, altough their legs were shaking in fear. Grunting as silently as I could, I stood up. Pain immediately assaulted my body, as well as my right arm beginning to throb.

It did not hurt as bad as it used to, but the pain was a memory that was etched into my mind. A familiar sensation that my mind was able to tell it apart from the rest. Gritting my teeth, I prayed that my legs had enough strength in them.

"All of you, encampment. NOW!"

All of them flinched at the colonel's words, and then they ran south towards the encampment, stumbling as they did so. "Are you alright, Von Zayne?" Taking a deep breath, I ignored the throbbing of my arm and answered him immediately. "I am, sir..."

"Let us get you to the encampment for treatment."

Like a surge of soul energy, I was hit with a realization.

"Wait, sir! Please, wait a moment..." I said, pleading for a momentary pause.

I looked down and saw my blood on the cold, concrete. I knelt down and placed my right hand over the stains. I took a deep breath in, and felt the life that I had lost come back to me. The pain in my cheek, back, and legs were fading, but the throbbing of my right arm remained.

"I see... You can use Life Magic?"

Clutching my right arm, Colonel Levon's words echoed in my mind. Life Magic, huh? It's funny how people judge things based on what they know, even though they know nothing of what I truly feel.

But, in this situation, I had no more words to say. Rest is the only thing that I looked forward to, and I much rather not argue with the Colonel.

I looked at myself. The pure white color of my robe was now dirtied with soot and soil, and a few bloodstains had covered it as well. If this was some sort of passage into the city, then I have experienced it first hand.

As much as I didn't want to say it, I had no choice. I am a soldier now, and it was time that I had some dignity for it. So, I spoke with absolute clarity of my voice.

"Please, show me the way back..."

I began to walk south, back to the encampment.


End file.
